The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns, following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global technology outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers, stating that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the tech disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore operations completely after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike impacted businesses worldwide. This update caused disruptions to Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and faced with significant issues, including the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
Various sectors such as healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance were affected, but airlines and airports experienced the most substantial impact. On a single day, Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed, with another 5,171 cancellations reported by FlightAware, and Delta was particularly hard hit.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations and 3,441 delays on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, 738 flights had been either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to those affected, stressing that canceling flights is always a last resort. He acknowledged the difficulty customers face when their travel plans are disrupted and pointed out that a significant portion of Delta’s operations relies on Microsoft Windows applications, which contributed to the operational challenges. To assist affected customers, Delta has launched a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and has provided meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.