The Department of Transportation is examining Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a wave of flight cancellations linked to a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will ensure that this right is upheld.” He noted that the department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the recent outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming full operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday, which impacted businesses around the globe. A flaw in this update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users without access and experiencing issues like the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident disrupted numerous sectors, including healthcare, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing particularly severe effects. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. Following that, over 2,500 flights were canceled on Sunday and Monday, along with another 3,441 delays. By Tuesday, 738 flights had already been either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian also mentioned that Delta relies on numerous applications tied to Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to handle changes due to the system shutdown. In response, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without fees, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.