The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure it is adequately supporting its customers amidst a wave of flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg expressed in a social media statement on Tuesday that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, and he is committed to making sure that this right is upheld. He noted that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the tech disruptions.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has had difficulties returning to normal operations after a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday affected numerous businesses worldwide. This issue also impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems and encountering troubles such as the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a widespread effect, hitting almost every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines and airports were particularly hard hit, with more than 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most severe impact.
On Friday and Saturday alone, Delta canceled around 3,500 flights. From Sunday to Monday, the airline canceled over 2,500 flights and delayed another 3,441. By Tuesday, 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
In a statement on Sunday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian emphasized that canceling a flight is a last resort and that the company does not take such measures lightly. He extended his apologies to all affected travelers, acknowledging that Delta’s mission is to connect the world and that disruptions in travel can be very challenging.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on a significant number of applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, one of which is essential for crew tracking and was unable to adapt to the limitations caused by the system failure. As a response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.