The Department of Transportation is currently looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following numerous flight cancellations stemming from a global technology outage last week.
Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation, emphasized in a social media statement that “all airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Based in Atlanta, Delta has faced challenges in fully restoring operations days after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected companies worldwide. The flawed update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users being unable to access their systems and encountering the “Blue Screen of Death.”
This incident had a widespread impact across various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions, but airlines and airports experienced some of the greatest disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 flights were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta being particularly affected.
Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and according to FlightAware, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, in addition to delaying another 3,441 flights. On Tuesday, the airline had already seen 738 flights canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated on Sunday, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events. 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 relies heavily on a “significant number of applications” that utilize Microsoft Windows, which affected tools like their crew tracking system. To assist affected travelers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation services.