The Department of Transportation is currently looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is addressing consumer concerns following numerous flight cancellations caused by a recent global technology outage.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stated on social media Tuesday, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He also mentioned that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the tech issues.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming its operations days after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted global business activities last Thursday. This update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and facing significant errors.
The outage impacted various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing the greatest disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being particularly hard hit.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights across its operations on Friday and Saturday. The airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, FlightAware indicated that 738 flights were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
He further explained that Delta relies on a number of applications using Microsoft Windows, including a critical crew tracking tool that struggled to adjust due to the system failure. To assist affected passengers, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge and has provided meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.