The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations attributed to a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated via social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, and he is committed to upholding that right. He mentioned that the Department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the recent disruptions.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has struggled to restore full operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted systems worldwide. The faulty update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users struggling with access issues, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
Various industries were impacted by this incident, with healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions experiencing difficulties. Airlines were particularly hard hit, with over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,171 cancellations reported just on Friday, according to FlightAware. Delta experienced the most significant impact.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday and delays for an additional 3,441 flights. On Tuesday, the disruptions continued, with 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret over the situation in a statement, emphasizing that cancellations are a last resort and not taken lightly. He apologized to all passengers affected by the disruptions, reiterating Delta’s mission to connect the world and acknowledge the frustrations caused by travel interruptions.
Bastian mentioned that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including tools for tracking crew operations, which were impacted by the outage. In response, Delta has issued a travel waiver that allows customers to change their flights without charge, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.