The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that consumer rights are upheld, as the airline continues to face significant flight cancellations following last week’s global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers in a social media statement, highlighting that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has been struggling to restore full operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday. This update had a negative impact on Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, affecting businesses worldwide and causing issues such as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident disrupted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports experienced the most severe consequences. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and over 5,000 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being the most impacted airline.
Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights over the weekend and reported more than 2,500 additional cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, the airline has already canceled or delayed 738 flights.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, stating that canceling flights is always a last resort and that the airline values its role in connecting travelers. He noted that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including one critical tool for tracking crew members, which was unable to adapt to the recent system failures.
To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing for free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.