The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a wave of flight cancellations triggered by a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, pledging to uphold this right. He noted that his department has been flooded with “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced significant operational disruptions in the days following a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which was implemented late Thursday and affected businesses worldwide. A defect in the update disrupted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users, including those in airlines, struggling with access issues and experiencing system failures.
The widespread outage impacted nearly all major industries, with airlines being especially hard hit. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed and over 5,171 were canceled, according to data from FlightAware. Delta suffered the most, canceling around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday alone, followed by over 2,500 cancellations and 3,441 delays on Sunday and Monday. As of Tuesday, FlightAware reported 738 additional canceled or delayed flights.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret over the flight cancellations, stating that such decisions are taken very seriously and are viewed as a last resort. He apologized to affected travelers, reaffirming that Delta’s mission is to connect the world and acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the disruptions.
Bastian further explained that a substantial number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including tools for crew tracking, which were unable to adapt to the shutdowns. To assist customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.