The U.S. Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that customers are being adequately compensated amid the airline’s ongoing flight cancellations following a global technology outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, stating, “I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming its operations days after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused widespread disruptions. This update adversely impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and experiencing error screens.
The global incident affected nearly every major industry, significantly disrupting sectors such as healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines experienced severe impacts with more than 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations recorded on a single Friday, according to FlightAware, with Delta being one of the hardest hit.
In total, Delta canceled around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, followed by more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delayed flights. The disruptions continued into Tuesday with 738 additional flights canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the severity of the situation in a statement on Sunday, expressing regret to all affected travelers. He described the cancellation of flights as a measure taken only as a last resort and acknowledged the difficulties these disruptions cause.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on various applications dependent on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew operations, which was unable to function due to the software shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.