The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global tech outage that occurred last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a social media statement on Tuesday. He mentioned that the department has already received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the technical disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore full operations days after a problematic software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike on Thursday affected numerous businesses worldwide. A flaw in this update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving various corporate users without access and causing issues such as the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage affected almost every major industry, but airlines and airports faced some of the most severe repercussions. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, with an additional 5,171 cancellations, according to FlightAware, with Delta being particularly impacted.
The airline canceled around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delayed flights. As of Tuesday, FlightAware reported 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the situation in a statement on Sunday, expressing regret for the disruptions. “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” he stated. “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 multiple applications using Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew assignments, which was hindered by the outage. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing flight changes without fees, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.