The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is meeting consumer protection standards following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global technical outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating on social media, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike last Thursday affected various businesses worldwide. The defect in the update had repercussions on Microsoft’s Windows operating system, leaving corporate users with system access issues and, for some, encountering the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. However, airlines and airports experienced some of the most significant disruptions, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday alone, as reported by FlightAware. Delta was particularly affected.
On Friday and Saturday, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights. Following that, it canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, while another 3,441 flights were delayed. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, 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.” He acknowledged that Delta relies on a significant number of Microsoft Windows applications, including a crew tracking tool that failed to function properly due to the system shutdown. In response, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no charge, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.