The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations triggered by a recent global technological disruption.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that “all airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He mentioned that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation stemming from the tech outages.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming operations after a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike impacted various industries worldwide. This update caused issues for Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, affecting access for corporate users and leading to significant disruptions, including the well-known “Blue Screen of Death.”
The software failure impacted almost every major sector, from healthcare and retail to financial services. However, airlines and airports experienced some of the worst disruptions, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware, with Delta being the most affected.
On Friday and Saturday, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights and faced more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, in addition to 3,441 delays within that period. As of Tuesday, 738 flights have either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He apologized to those affected and emphasized the company’s mission of connecting people around the world.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on various applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking that struggled to adjust due to the system shutdown. To alleviate the impact, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without fees, in addition to offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.