The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure that it is prioritizing consumer rights following a series of flight cancellations stemming from a recent global tech failure.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, noting that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, which operates out of Atlanta, has faced significant challenges in restoring normal operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted numerous businesses worldwide last Thursday. This update led to issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating system, causing many corporate users to experience difficulty accessing their systems, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech outage had a widespread impact, affecting various sectors including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions. Airlines were particularly hard hit; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, with an additional 5,171 cancellations reported, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant disruptions.
Delta confirmed that around 3,500 flights were canceled on Friday and Saturday. The airline also canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, while delaying an additional 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, 738 flights faced cancellations or delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian addressed the situation in a statement, saying that canceling flights is a last resort and not a decision the airline takes lightly. He apologized to all those affected, acknowledging the frustration caused by the disruptions. Bastian mentioned that many Delta applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew members, which was affected by the system outage.
To assist impacted customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free changes to flight bookings, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.