The Department of Transportation is launching an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are upheld in light of the airline’s ongoing flight cancellations that followed a recent global technology failure.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and that he will work to ensure this standard is maintained. He noted that his department has already received “hundreds of complaints” concerning Delta’s response to the tech issues.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced significant challenges in resuming normal operations since a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike disrupted various businesses worldwide. This update malfunctioned with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to widespread access issues and triggering the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The fallout from the incident was extensive, affecting numerous sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines experienced the most considerable impact; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta being the hardest hit.
The airline canceled around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, with over 2,500 cancellations occurring on Sunday and Monday, in addition to 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had been canceled or delayed, according to FlightAware data.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed remorse for the disruptions in a statement on Sunday, stating that the decision to cancel flights is never made lightly. He acknowledged the difficulties faced by travelers when their plans are altered.
Bastian explained that Delta relies significantly on applications running on Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking system that was unable to adapt due to the shutdown. In response to the disruptions, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without charge and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.