The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations attributed to a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers in a statement on social media, pointing out that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced difficulties in restoring full operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused widespread disruptions. The update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving numerous corporate users struggling and encountering issues like the “Blue Screen of Death.”
This tech incident had a significant impact across various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions, with the airline sector being particularly hard-hit. On one day alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and more than 5,170 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta bearing the brunt of the disruptions.
On Friday and Saturday, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights. Furthermore, the airline canceled over 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, in addition to delaying another 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the challenges caused by these cancellations in a statement, expressing his apologies to those affected. He confirmed that Delta understands the importance of providing seamless travel and the difficulties caused by such disruptions.
Bastian noted that a large number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including essential tools for tracking crew operations that were hindered due to the system failure. In response, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights free of charge, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation services.