The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations attributed to a global tech failure last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of airline passengers, stating, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” This statement comes after the department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has faced ongoing operational challenges after a problematic software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This issue left many corporate clients unable to access their systems, leading to significant disruptions.
The incident resulted in widespread delays and cancellations across various sectors, with the airline industry particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and more than 5,171 were canceled, with Delta experiencing the most severe impact.
Delta reported average cancellations of about 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations and 3,441 flight delays on Sunday and Monday. The situation continued into Tuesday, with 738 flights impacted.
In response, Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events.” He acknowledged the reliance on Microsoft Windows applications for their operations and mentioned that Delta is offering travel waivers, meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options to affected customers.