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 linked to a global technology outage last week.
In a significant business move, M&M’s parent company, Mars, is set to acquire Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts brand in one of this year’s most noteworthy deals.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” This statement follows numerous complaints received by the department regarding Delta’s handling of the situation stemming from the technology failures.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully restoring its operations after a problematic software update conducted by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday disrupted numerous businesses globally. This update had an adverse effect on Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and dealing with issues such as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of the incident rippled through various sectors, affecting healthcare providers, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions, but airlines suffered the most. On a single day, Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and another 5,171 were canceled according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant disruptions.
The airline reported the cancellation of about 3,500 flights over the weekend and more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday morning, Delta had already canceled or delayed 738 more flights.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian commented, “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 noted that Delta relies on a significant number of applications utilizing Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew availability that was unable to manage changes caused by the system malfunction. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver enabling free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.