The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is appropriately responding to customer needs amid ongoing flight cancellations resulting from a recent global technology outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a statement shared on social media. He mentioned that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation following the tech outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to resume its operations fully after a problematic software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike impacted services globally last Thursday. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, disrupting access for many corporate users and leading to technical failures known as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage affected nearly every major industry, significantly impacting sectors such as healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance. Airlines experienced some of the most severe disruptions; on Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and more than 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being particularly hard hit.
Delta announced that it canceled approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. Furthermore, it canceled over 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday and reported that 3,441 flights were delayed. On Tuesday alone, the airline had 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian addressed the situation, stating that canceling flights is not taken lightly and serves as a last resort. He extended his apologies to customers affected by these disruptions, reiterating that Delta is committed to connecting the world, and understands the challenges that arise when travel plans are altered.
Bastian noted that Delta relies heavily on various applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, particularly a tool for crew tracking that was unable to adapt due to the system’s failure. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, in addition to offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.