The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs following numerous flight cancellations that stemmed from a major global tech outage last week.
Mars, the company known for M&M candies, is set to acquire Kellanova, which produces Pop-Tarts, in what is being recognized as one of the year’s most significant business deals.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that every airline passenger deserves fair treatment, pledging to uphold this right. He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the recent tech issues.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring normal operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a ripple effect across various sectors. This update malfunction notably affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving businesses struggling with issues including system access failures and the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
Nearly all major industries were impacted by this incident, particularly airlines, which experienced severe disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, with another 5,171 cancellations recorded, according to FlightAware, making Delta the most affected airline.
Delta reported approximately 3,500 flight cancellations across its operations on Friday and Saturday. The following days saw the cancellation of more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, 738 additional flights have either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian addressed the situation in a statement, emphasizing that canceling a flight is always a last resort and expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to affected travelers. He highlighted that Delta relies on a significant number of Microsoft Windows applications, including tools for tracking crew members, which were impacted by the shutdown. To assist travelers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.