The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that consumer rights are being upheld as the airline faces ongoing flight cancellations following a global technology failure last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, asserting his commitment to enforcing that principle. He noted that his agency has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the recent technical issues.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has struggled to restore operations in the aftermath of a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which disrupted business worldwide. This incident particularly affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading many corporate users to experience system access issues, including the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions across nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines were especially hard-hit, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta was particularly impacted.
On Friday and Saturday, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights. Following that, the airline canceled about 2,500 more flights on Sunday and Monday, alongside another 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed his apologies in a statement, highlighting that canceling flights is a measure taken as a last resort. He acknowledged the challenges travelers face when their plans are disrupted, reaffirming Delta’s commitment to connecting the world.
Bastian noted that Delta relies heavily on applications connected to Microsoft Windows, including a vital tool for crew tracking that could not adapt to the system outages. To assist affected customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.