The Department of Transportation is examining Delta Air Lines to ensure proper consumer care as the airline faces ongoing flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, pledging to uphold their rights. He noted that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the recent technology disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore normal operations days after a faulty software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which negatively impacted businesses globally. This update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading many corporate users to face access issues and the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage had widespread repercussions across various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines were particularly hard-hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and an additional 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
In total, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. The airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday and delayed an extra 3,441. As of Tuesday, 738 flights were reported canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone impacted by these events.” He acknowledged that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for numerous applications, including a crew tracking system that struggled with changes due to the system failure. Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights at no extra cost, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transport options.