The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure it is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of airline passengers, stating on social media, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the outage.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in returning to normal operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected businesses worldwide. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users experiencing difficulties, including the frustrating “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of the incident was widespread, affecting various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines experienced significant disruptions, with over 46,000 flights delayed and another 5,171 canceled on Friday alone, according to FlightAware, with Delta being significantly impacted.
Delta reported approximately 3,500 flight cancellations across its operations on Friday and Saturday. The airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday while delaying 3,441 others. As of Tuesday, FlightAware indicated that 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the flight cancellations, 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.” He acknowledged the challenge travelers face when their plans are disrupted, noting that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows-based applications, including those for crew tracking that were affected. To assist customers, Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.