The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is meeting consumer rights as the company continues to cancel flights following a recent global technology outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, pledging to uphold their rights. He noted that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation after the tech issues arose.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming operations days after a problematic software update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which affected businesses worldwide. The flawed update created issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, disrupting access for corporate users and causing technical failures.
The impact of the incident was widespread, affecting various industries such as healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance. Airlines, however, experienced some of the most significant disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most cancellations.
The airline canceled about 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and by Sunday and Monday, Delta had canceled more than 2,500 flights and delayed 3,441 others. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had experienced cancellations or delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, stating that canceling flights is always a last resort. He acknowledged the challenges faced by travelers and highlighted that Delta heavily relies on Microsoft Windows applications, including a crucial tool for tracking crew members, which was unable to adapt due to system downtime. Delta has also implemented a travel waiver to allow customers to change flights free of charge, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.