The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the company is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations linked to a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of airline passengers, stating on social media that he is committed to ensuring these rights are honored. The department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation after reports of widespread disruptions caused by a failed software update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has struggled to restore its operations days after the software update negatively impacted various businesses, including Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This malfunction left many corporate users unable to access their systems, often displaying the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident affected nearly every major industry, with airlines experiencing particularly severe consequences. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and approximately 5,171 were canceled, according to data from FlightAware, with Delta being the most severely impacted.
Over the course of Friday and Saturday, Delta reported the cancellation of around 3,500 flights. Additionally, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday while delaying another 3,441. By Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, stating that canceling flights is always a last resort and not taken lightly. He apologized to affected travelers, acknowledging the challenges faced when travel plans are altered. Bastian noted that many of Delta’s operations rely on Microsoft Windows, including tools for tracking crew assignments, which were unable to function due to the system outages.
In response to the situation, Delta announced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.