The Department of Transportation is currently looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the company is fulfilling its obligations to passengers amid ongoing flight cancellations following a major global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and emphasized his commitment to upholding that right. He noted that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation related to the tech failures.
Delta, based in Atlanta, is struggling to restore full operations after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected numerous businesses globally. This incident created issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and facing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of this outage was widespread, disrupting various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines experienced significant challenges, with FlightAware reporting over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,171 cancellations just on Friday. Delta was particularly affected, with the airline canceling approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday alone, then over 2,500 more on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. By Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret for the disruption caused, stating that cancellations are always a last resort and not taken lightly. He apologized to all customers impacted by these challenges, reaffirming Delta’s commitment to connecting the world while acknowledging the difficulties caused by travel disruptions.
To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free changes to flight bookings, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.