The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld as the airline faces ongoing flight cancellations following a global tech issue experienced last week.
In a recent statement, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers, noting that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions caused by the tech outage.
Based in Atlanta, Delta Airlines has struggled to fully resume its operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected businesses worldwide. This update introduced a flaw that impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and encountering issues such as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident affected nearly every major industry sector, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports experienced the most significant disruptions. On one day alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and an additional 5,171 were canceled, according to data from FlightAware. Delta Airlines was particularly hard-hit.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. Following that, it canceled over 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, in addition to delaying another 3,441 flights. On Tuesday, FlightAware reported another 738 flights had been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the challenges and extended his apologies to those affected by the disruptions, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that Delta utilizes numerous applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew schedules that was unable to manage the changes due to the system failure. In response to the ongoing issues, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights at no extra charge, and is also providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation services.