The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld following a series of flight cancellations triggered by a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers in a statement shared on social media on Tuesday. He noted that the department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring its operations since a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday affected businesses globally. The update malfunctioned, impacting Microsoft’s Windows operating systems and leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems, with some experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage affected numerous industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions, but airlines and airports experienced severe disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being notably impacted.
During this period, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. Moreover, FlightAware reported that the airline canceled over 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, in addition to delaying another 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, there have already been 738 cancellations or delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed his regret in a Sunday statement, saying, “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 added that Delta utilizes numerous applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking, which was unable to manage the changes due to the system failure. In response to the situation, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without fees, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.