The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld as the airline faces ongoing flight cancellations following a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, noting that the department has received “hundreds of complaints” concerning Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has struggled to resume normal operations following a software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that caused widespread disruptions globally. The flawed update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users, including Delta, without access to essential systems.
The tech incident had a sweeping impact on several industries, particularly airlines and airports. On a single day, over 46,000 flights were reported delayed and more than 5,171 canceled, with Delta experiencing the brunt of the disruptions.
Delta canceled around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, followed by more than 2,500 flight cancellations and 3,441 delays on Sunday and Monday. The struggle continued into Tuesday with an additional 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
In response to the chaos, Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology, stating that cancellations are always a last resort. He acknowledged the hardships faced by travelers due to the disruptions and confirmed that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for its operations, including crucial crew tracking applications affected by the software failure.
To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation services.