The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to verify that the airline is properly addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations attributed to a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media Tuesday that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, pledging to uphold this entitlement. He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation following the tech disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming operations after a flawed software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike late Thursday. This update negatively affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and dealing in some cases with critical errors.
The incident had widespread ramifications, impacting numerous industries such as healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance. Airlines and airports experienced some of the most severe disruptions. On Friday alone, FlightAware reported over 46,000 delayed flights and more than 5,171 cancellations, with Delta being significantly affected.
The airline reported canceling around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, and by Sunday and Monday, it had canceled over 2,500 additional flights and delayed another 3,441. As of Tuesday, there were already 738 flights reported as canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian addressed the situation in a statement on Sunday, expressing regret to all passengers affected by the disruptions. He explained that canceling a flight is a last resort for the airline. Bastian also mentioned that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows applications, including tools necessary for tracking crew availability, which were incapacitated due to the outage. To assist customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing for free flight changes, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation services.