The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations attributed to a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, stating on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outage.
Delta, based in Atlanta, is facing challenges in restoring full operations after a software update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike went awry. The update negatively affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to significant disruptions for corporate users.
The incident had a wide-reaching impact, affecting industries such as healthcare, retail, and finance. Airlines were particularly hard hit, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta experienced the most significant disruptions, canceling approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. The airline further canceled more than 2,500 flights and delayed an additional 3,441 flights on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, the disruptions continued, with 738 flights canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, noting that they are always a last resort. He apologized to all customers affected by these events, reiterating Delta’s commitment to connecting travelers and acknowledging the disruption caused by the outage.
Bastian explained that a substantial number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, and the system failure hindered their ability to manage crew tracking and other operations. In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no cost, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.