The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that it is adequately addressing consumer concerns following numerous flight cancellations triggered by a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted that all airline passengers are entitled to fair treatment, vowing to uphold this right amid rising complaints about Delta’s handling of the situation. The department noted that it has received “hundreds of complaints” in recent days regarding the airline’s response to the tech disruption.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming normal operations following a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. This update, implemented late Thursday, led to significant issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in disruptions for corporate users who faced loss of access to their systems, and in some cases, encountering system errors like the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech outage impacted a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance, but the airline sector experienced the most pronounced effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and more than 5,171 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware data, with Delta experiencing the highest number of disruptions.
Delta reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights across its operations on Friday and Saturday. Additionally, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday and delayed another 3,441. As of Tuesday, reports indicate that 738 flights have been canceled or delayed.
In a statement, Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, emphasizing that canceling flights is always a last resort. He acknowledged the frustration caused to affected travelers and reassured that Delta’s mission is to connect people worldwide despite the challenges faced during this disruption.
Bastian explained that numerous Delta applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a crucial crew tracking tool that was hindered by the system shutdown. To assist impacted customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.