The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations stemming from a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of airline passengers, stating, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that the department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming its flight operations following a problematic software update released by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike on Thursday. This update negatively impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to significant disruptions for numerous corporate users, with some encountering the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The widespread outage affected multiple sectors, including healthcare, deliveries, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing some of the most severe impacts. On Friday, flight tracking service FlightAware reported over 46,000 delayed flights and more than 5,171 cancellations, with Delta being particularly affected.
The airline announced it canceled approximately 3,500 flights during the weekend, followed by over 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, along with nearly 3,441 delays. By Tuesday, Delta had already canceled or delayed 738 flights.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, 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 highlighted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for various applications, including a critical crew tracking tool that was rendered inoperable due to the tech failure. In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no charge, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.