The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs amidst ongoing flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a social media statement on Tuesday. He noted that his department has already received “hundreds of complaints” concerning Delta’s handling of the recent tech issues.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced significant challenges in resuming normal operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected businesses globally. The update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and facing a critical system crash known as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident affected nearly every major industry, including healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions, but airlines and airports suffered the most. On a single day, Friday, over 46,000 flights experienced delays, and 5,171 were canceled, according to data from FlightAware, with Delta being particularly impacted.
The airline reported canceling around 3,500 flights over the course of Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, and 3,441 additional delays. As of Tuesday, the situation continued, with 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret on Sunday, stating, “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.” He acknowledged the disruption that travel cancellations can cause and reaffirmed Delta’s commitment to connecting people worldwide.
Bastian indicated that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including one for crew tracking that encountered processing issues due to the outage. In response, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without penalty and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.