The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations related to a global technology outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating through social media that he would ensure these rights are upheld. He mentioned that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the tech disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore full operations days after a flawed software update executed by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused widespread issues. This update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and confronting the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” error.
The incident had a ripple effect across nearly all major industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. However, airlines and airports were particularly hard-hit: on one Friday alone, there were over 46,000 delayed flights and 5,171 cancellations, with Delta being the most affected airline.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, and according to FlightAware, the airline canceled over 2,500 more flights and delayed about 3,441 on Sunday and Monday. As of Tuesday, an additional 738 flights were reported canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation in a statement, stressing that canceling flights is always a last resort. He apologized to all customers affected by the disruptions, noting that Delta’s primary mission is to connect people around the globe.
Bastian also pointed out that Delta relies on numerous applications that operate on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew schedules, which was unable to function after the system failure. To assist customers, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing them to change flights without charge and provided meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.