The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that it is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global technology outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated via social media on Tuesday, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the tech disruption.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming normal operations after a software update mishap by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday impacted companies worldwide. A flaw in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, causing significant access issues and leading some users to encounter severe error screens.
The incident had widespread repercussions across various sectors, including healthcare, finance, retail, and logistics, but the airline industry was particularly hard hit. On the Friday of the outage, over 46,000 flights were delayed and an additional 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most significant impact.
The airline canceled around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday alone, followed by over 2,500 cancellations and 3,441 delays on Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday, Delta had already recorded 738 canceled or delayed flights, as reported by FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to affected passengers, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He emphasized Delta’s commitment to connecting people while acknowledging the frustrations caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including a crucial crew tracking tool that could not adjust due to the system issue. In response to the travel chaos, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge and is offering meal vouchers, accommodations, and transportation options.