The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs amid a wave of flight cancellations following a major global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers, stating that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced significant challenges in resuming normal operations after a software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused widespread issues. The faulty update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in many corporate users being locked out of their systems and experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident disrupted various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports faced particularly severe consequences. On Friday, FlightAware reported over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations, with Delta being among the hardest hit.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights over the Friday and Saturday timeframe. In addition, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday while delaying another 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, stating that they are always a last resort and acknowledging the disruption caused to travelers. He noted that the airline relies on several Microsoft Windows applications, including tools essential for crew tracking, which were affected by the system failures. In response, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without fees and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation support.