The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines amid ongoing concerns regarding the airline’s treatment of consumers following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global technology outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of all airline passengers, stating via social media on Tuesday that he will ensure these rights are protected. He mentioned that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has struggled to return to normal operations after a software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike went awry on Thursday, affecting businesses worldwide. A flaw in this update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and causing widespread disruptions.
Numerous industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions, faced significant challenges due to the outage. Airlines and airports were particularly hard hit, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta suffered the most extensive impact.
The airline canceled around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, along with an additional 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, 738 flights were also reported as canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian apologized to affected travelers, underscoring that canceling flights is a last resort for the airline. He remarked that Delta is committed to connecting the world and understands the inconvenience caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian noted that a significant number of Delta’s applications utilize Microsoft Windows, and the system failure prevented certain tools, such as crew tracking, from functioning properly. To assist customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing passengers to change their flights without charge, as well as providing meal vouchers, lodging, and transportation options.