The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations tied to a global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating on social media that he has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation since the recent technology disruptions.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late last Thursday. This update negatively impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users struggling with significant issues, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage affected nearly every major industry, with healthcare, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions all feeling the impact. Airlines and airports, however, experienced some of the most severe disruptions. On a single day, Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, with Delta being particularly hard hit.
The airline reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights throughout Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, FlightAware has noted that 738 flights have been canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian addressed the situation, stating that canceling flights is a last resort and expressing remorse for those affected by the disruptions. He explained that Delta relies on many applications powered by Microsoft Windows, which were hampered by the system failure. To mitigate the impact on customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver policy allowing free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.