The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that consumer rights are being upheld following a series of flight cancellations prompted by a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a social media statement, noting that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming normal operations days after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted systems globally. A flaw in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems, with some experiencing severe shutdowns.
The incident had widespread repercussions across various sectors, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance, but the airline industry suffered particularly. On one day alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta being the most affected airline.
Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and according to FlightAware, additional cancellations exceeded 2,500 on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, there were reports of 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, stating that they are a last resort and not taken lightly. He apologized to those affected, highlighting Delta’s mission to connect people and understanding the frustration caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian mentioned that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, which were hampered by the outage, including a tool critical for tracking crew schedules. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without incurring fees and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options for affected travelers.