The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to determine whether the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs following the series of flight cancellations caused by a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fairness for airline passengers, stating in a social media message, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” Buttigieg noted that the department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the technology disruptions.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced significant challenges in resuming its operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected systems worldwide. This update created issues with Microsoft Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and causing disruptions such as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The disruption impacted numerous sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the airline industry experienced particularly severe effects. On one day alone, Friday, over 46,000 flights faced delays and another 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most.
The airline reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 additional cancellations occurring on Sunday and Monday, accompanied by 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, Delta saw 738 flights canceled or delayed.
Delta 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 every one of you who have 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 many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that could not handle the changes initiated by the system failure. To mitigate the impact on affected customers, Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.