The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is fulfilling its obligations to consumers following a series of flight cancellations linked to a significant global tech outage from the previous week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that all airline passengers are entitled to fair treatment, and he is committed to upholding this right. He noted that the department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the tech disruptions.
Based in Atlanta, Delta is facing challenges in fully restoring operations following a faulty software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late Thursday and affected businesses worldwide. This update included a defect that impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in many corporate users losing access to their systems and, in some situations, encountering severe system errors.
The tech failure had widespread effects across various industries, including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports experienced some of the most significant disruptions. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and over 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware. Delta was among the hardest hit.
Delta reported it canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. In addition, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, while also delaying another 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, there were already 738 flights that had been canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret for the inconveniences caused by these disruptions, stating that canceling a flight is a last resort for the airline. Bastian emphasized Delta’s commitment to connecting the world and understanding the challenges faced by disrupted travelers.
He explained that Delta relies on numerous applications that run on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking that was affected by the system failures. To assist customers impacted by the cancellations, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.