The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure proper consumer treatment amidst ongoing flight cancellations following a significant global tech malfunction last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that every airline passenger deserves fair treatment and assured that his department would uphold this right. He previously noted that the department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming normal operations after a failed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected organizations worldwide. The update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading many corporate users to experience access problems and, in some cases, the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The disruption impacted nearly every sector, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports were among the most severely affected. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations and an additional 3,441 delays on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, Delta had already reported 738 more canceled or delayed flights.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian remarked, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” apologizing to those affected by the disruptions. He highlighted that many of the airline’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool used for tracking crew, which struggled to adjust following the system failure. In response, Delta has initiated a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without additional fees, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.