The Department of Transportation is currently examining Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is properly addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations stemming from a global technology failure last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed on social media on Tuesday that all airline passengers have the right to fair treatment and that he will ensure this right is respected. He previously mentioned that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the technology issues.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully restoring operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike late Thursday impacted businesses worldwide. A flaw in this update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users without access to their systems and experiencing what is known as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident affected nearly every major industry, including healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions, with airlines and airports facing some of the worst disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta enduring the most severe impact.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. The airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, with an additional 3,441 flights delayed. As of Tuesday, FlightAware noted that 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated on Sunday that canceling flights is a last resort and that the company does not take such decisions lightly. He apologized to those affected by these disruptions, emphasizing that Delta’s mission is to connect the world and acknowledging the challenges caused by travel interruptions.
Bastian mentioned that Delta relies on a significant number of applications that operate on Microsoft Windows, including a crew-tracking tool that was impeded by the system shutdown. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights for free, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.