The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is meeting consumer needs amidst ongoing flight cancellations resulting from a global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, emphasizing that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring full operations after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last week. This update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to significant disruptions for businesses worldwide, including airline operations.
The tech issue impacted various industries, with airlines and airports suffering the most. On a single day, Friday, over 46,000 flights faced delays, and more than 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being particularly hard hit.
Delta reported canceling roughly 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations and more than 3,400 delays on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday alone, 738 flights were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the difficulty these cancellations have caused, expressing regret in a statement. He explained that canceling flights is a last resort and reiterated Delta’s commitment to connecting travelers. Bastian pointed out that many Delta applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including one for crew tracking, which has struggled due to the system failures. To assist affected customers, Delta is providing a travel waiver for free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.