The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is properly addressing consumer complaints following a series of flight cancellations caused by a global tech outage last week.
In a statement on social media, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” concerning Delta’s handling of the situation related to the tech issues.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming operations after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected businesses worldwide. A defect in this update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and causing some systems to display the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The repercussions of the incident rippled through nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance. However, the airline sector experienced some of the most severe disruptions, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday alone, as reported by FlightAware. Delta experienced the brunt of these issues.
The airline announced the cancellation of approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 additional cancellations and 3,441 delays reported on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, Delta had already canceled or delayed 738 flights.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone who has been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian added that Delta relies on a “significant number of applications” using Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking that could not manage changes induced by the system failure. In response to customer inconvenience, Delta has instituted a travel waiver allowing fee-free flight changes, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.