The Department of Transportation is launching an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer issues following a series of flight cancellations stemming from a significant global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, and the department has received numerous complaints about Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced difficulties in resuming normal operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted businesses globally. This defect affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, causing many corporate users to experience system access issues, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident had a widespread impact across various industries such as healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. However, airlines and airports felt the effects most severely, with over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,000 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta was particularly affected.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on both Friday and Saturday, with over 2,500 additional cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delays. By Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to those affected, stating that canceling flights is a decision made with great hesitance. He acknowledged the challenges passengers face when travel plans are disrupted and noted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for various applications, including critical tools for crew tracking. In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.