The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that it is adequately supporting consumers following a wave of flight cancellations tied to a recent global technology outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating on social media that he would ensure their rights are upheld. Buttigieg noted that the department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the outage.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully restoring its operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike affected businesses worldwide. The update disrupted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and facing serious issues, including the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of the outage was felt across nearly every sector, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the airline industry was particularly hard hit. On a single day, over 46,000 flights experienced delays and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta bearing the brunt of the disruption.
Delta announced that it canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 additional cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delays. On Tuesday alone, 738 flights were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the inconvenience, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone affected by these events.” He acknowledged that Delta heavily relies on Microsoft Windows for a number of applications, which contributed to the operational issues during the outage. Delta is providing affected customers with travel waivers, allowing free flight changes, as well as meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.