The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is effectively addressing consumer concerns in light of continued flight cancellations following a recent global tech outage.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the right of all airline passengers to fair treatment, stating on social media, “I will make sure that right is upheld.” He mentioned that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation after the technology disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming operations following a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late last Thursday. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without system access and experiencing serious disruptions.
Nearly every major industry was impacted, with healthcare providers, delivery companies, retailers, and financial institutions among those affected. Airlines and airports experienced the brunt of the fallout, with FlightAware reporting over 46,000 flight delays and around 5,171 cancellations just on Friday.
Delta canceled roughly 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday and reported more than 2,500 cancellations and 3,441 delays over the weekend. On Tuesday alone, there were 738 cancellations or delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events.” He noted that the airline relies on numerous applications using Microsoft Windows, including one for crew tracking, which was affected by the system issues. In response, Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without charge, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.