The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is properly addressing consumer needs amid ongoing flight cancellations following a global tech outage from the previous week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the right of all airline passengers to be treated fairly, stating on social media that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore full service days after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike impacted businesses globally. This issue affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems.
The outage had a widespread effect, disrupting nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines were particularly impacted, with over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta was notably the most affected airline.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, with over 2,500 additional cancellations and 3,441 delays recorded on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday, another 738 flights were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the gravity of flight cancellations, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He extended his apologies to those affected, underscoring Delta’s commitment to connecting people around the world and recognizing the difficulty caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on a “significant number of applications” that utilize Microsoft Windows, which included a crew tracking tool hampered by the system outage. In response, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.