The Department of Transportation is actively investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the company is treating consumers fairly amidst ongoing flight cancellations linked to a recent global technology failure.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on social media that all airline passengers deserve equitable treatment, emphasizing that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the tech outages.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, is struggling to return to normal operations following a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which took place late last Thursday and adversely affected global businesses. A flaw in the update interfered with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving numerous corporate users unable to access their systems, facing issues like the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident disrupted nearly every major industry, severely impacting healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions, with airlines and airports being particularly hard-hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and another 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta being the most affected airline.
Delta announced it canceled around 3,500 flights over the weekend, with more than 2,500 flights canceled on Sunday and Monday and an additional 3,441 delays reported. By Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian apologized to affected customers, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian highlighted that Delta relies on a variety of applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, mentioning a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to changes resulting from the system outage. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights free of charge and offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.