The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld, as the airline continues to face flight cancellations following a recent global tech outage.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and highlighted the department’s receipt of “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, is struggling to restore normal operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected various businesses worldwide. This update created issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users encountering significant access problems and experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage impacted numerous sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines were among the hardest hit. On Friday, there were over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations, with Delta suffering the most.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, followed by more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, accompanied by 3,441 delays. On Tuesday alone, FlightAware reported 738 flights that were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian addressed the situation on Sunday, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He expressed regret to all affected passengers, affirming Delta’s commitment to connecting the world and recognizing the challenges posed by travel disruptions.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on a substantial number of applications that operate on Microsoft Windows, including essential tools for tracking crew assignments, which were affected by the system issues. In response, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.