The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to confirm that the airline is adequately serving its customers, as the company continues to cancel flights following a significant global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of airline passengers to be treated fairly, stating on social media, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He added that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore full operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected global businesses. The update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading corporate users to experience significant access problems, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major sector, notably healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions. The airline industry faced severe disruptions, with over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,171 cancellations recorded on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta was particularly affected.
The airline reported approximately 3,500 flight cancellations over Friday and Saturday. FlightAware data indicated that Delta canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday and delayed around 3,441 flights. By Tuesday, 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement, saying, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone who has been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that a substantial number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking that was unable to handle changes due to the system outage. To accommodate affected customers, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.