The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are upheld as the airline faces ongoing flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media Tuesday, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” This came after the department reportedly received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to fully restore its operations days after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted various businesses globally. The flawed update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users without access to essential systems and, in some instances, encountering the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions, impacting nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines and airports were particularly hard hit, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. Delta was especially affected.
On Friday and Saturday, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights. Following that, more than 2,500 additional flights were canceled on Sunday and Monday, with another 3,441 delays. By Tuesday, 738 flights had also been either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement, saying, “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 the airline relies heavily on Microsoft Windows applications, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to the shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has announced a travel waiver, allowing free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.