The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is properly addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations linked to a recent global tech outage.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the right of airline passengers to fair treatment, stating on social media that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outages caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.
Delta, based in Atlanta, is struggling to restore full operations after the software glitch affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems late last week, leaving corporate users without access to crucial systems, some even encountering the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident disrupted a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance, with the airline sector bearing a particularly heavy burden. On a single day, over 46,000 flights were delayed, while more than 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware data, with Delta experiencing the highest impact.
The airline reported canceling around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, while on Sunday and Monday, it scrapped more than 2,500 flights and delayed an additional 3,441. As of Tuesday, 738 more flights had been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating that cancelations are a last resort. He apologized to those affected, acknowledging the challenges disruptions can cause for travelers. He noted that a significant number of Delta’s applications depend on Microsoft Windows, including tools for tracking crew changes, which were affected by the system failure. To assist customers, Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.