The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer protection as the airline continues to face flight cancellations following a global tech outage that occurred last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the right of airline passengers to fair treatment, pledging to uphold that right through this investigation. He mentioned that the department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the recent tech disruptions.
Based in Atlanta, Delta has been experiencing difficulties in fully resuming operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused widespread issues on Thursday. This update inadvertently affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users with accessibility issues and some dealing with the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech outage impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions. Airlines and airports were particularly hard hit, with more than 46,000 flights delayed and around 5,171 flights canceled on Friday alone, as reported by FlightAware. Delta was one of the most affected airlines.
Delta announced the cancellation of approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. Over the following two days, the airline canceled an additional 2,500 flights while also delaying another 3,441. On Tuesday, the disruptions continued with 738 cancellations or delays.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement that canceling flights is a last resort and expressed apologies to all customers affected by the situation. He noted that Delta relies on a significant number of Microsoft Windows applications, including a crew tracking tool that could not adapt to the changes caused by the system failure. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no cost, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.