The Department of Transportation is examining Delta Air Lines to ensure it is adequately addressing consumer issues after the airline has experienced numerous flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, emphasizing his commitment to uphold this right. He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the tech disruptions.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced significant operational challenges as it attempts to restore services after a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday affected businesses globally. This update created issues for Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without system access and encountering the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident caused widespread disruptions across various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines, in particular, were severely affected; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights experienced delays and an additional 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware data, with Delta being hit the hardest.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. By Sunday and Monday, the airline had canceled more than 2,500 flights and delayed another 3,441. On Tuesday, they already recorded 738 flights that were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated that canceling flights is a last resort and not taken lightly. He apologized to all customers impacted by the situation. Bastian noted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to the disruptions. He added that Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no cost, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.