The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global tech outage that occurred last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating on social media that he will ensure these rights are upheld. He acknowledged that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in returning to normal operations after a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted businesses worldwide. The issue primarily affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems, with some experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a widespread impact, affecting nearly every major industry, including healthcare, logistics, retail, and finance. Airlines suffered severely as well, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
Delta canceled around 3,500 flights during Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 additional flights canceled on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, FlightAware reported another 738 flights had been either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to affected travelers, explaining that canceling flights is a last resort. He highlighted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including tools for tracking crews that were disrupted due to the system shutdown. In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no extra cost, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.