The Department of Transportation is currently looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure that consumer rights are being upheld as the airline continues to face cancellations stemming from a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers, stating on social media, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” about Delta’s response to the outages.
The Atlanta-based airline has struggled to bounce back after a flawed software update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected operations globally. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems and facing significant errors, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
Various industries were disrupted by this incident, with healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial sectors all feeling the impact. However, airlines and airports were particularly hard hit; on one day alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, with another 5,171 cancellations reported, according to FlightAware. Delta experienced the most substantial disruptions.
Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights over the course of Friday and Saturday. Following this, the airline canceled over 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday and delayed an additional 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the challenges these cancellations present to travelers, 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. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian also indicated that Delta relies on a “significant number of applications” built on Microsoft Windows, including tools for crew tracking that were unable to adapt due to the shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver that allows free changes to flight bookings and offers meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.