The Department of Transportation is currently looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations caused by a global technology outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He mentioned that the department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has been struggling to restore full operations days after a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday disrupted companies worldwide. The update led to issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users being locked out of their systems and facing severe malfunctions.
The incident had a widespread impact across various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the airline sector suffered particularly. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and another 5,171 were canceled, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
Delta reported that it canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. Over the following two days, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights and delayed an additional 3,441. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had been either canceled or delayed.
CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the inconvenience, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort and something we don’t take lightly.” He emphasized Delta’s commitment to customer connectivity and acknowledged the frustration caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian explained that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows applications, including a crucial crew tracking tool that was unable to adapt to the changes brought on by the system shutdown. To assist affected travelers, Delta has announced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no charge, alongside provisions for meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.