The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the company is adequately addressing consumer needs amid ongoing flight cancellations that follow a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a social media statement on Tuesday, indicating that his department has fielded “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the situation.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming normal operations days after a problematic software update conducted by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday, which led to widespread disruptions across various industries. This update caused a defect affecting Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and some experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a significant impact across nearly all sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with the airline industry experiencing some of the worst effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed globally, and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta bearing a considerable portion of those cancellations.
Delta announced the cancellations of approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, and by Sunday and Monday, the airline had canceled an additional 2,500 flights while delaying another 3,441. As of Tuesday, the disruptions continued with 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He extended his apologies to all affected passengers, reaffirming Delta’s commitment to connecting people and understanding the difficulties of travel disruptions.
Bastian explained that many of Delta’s operational applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool essential for crew tracking, which was unable to manage changes due to the system’s shutdown. In response to the situation, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without fees and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation for those impacted.