The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately responding to consumer needs amid ongoing flight cancellations linked to a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a social media statement, noting that the department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has been struggling to resume normal operations following a problematic software update initiated by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. This update, implemented late Thursday, caused disruptions to various businesses around the globe, particularly affecting Microsoft’s Windows operating systems and resulting in issues such as the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident had widespread repercussions across multiple sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Among the hardest hit were the airline and airport industries. On one particular day, more than 46,000 flights were delayed and around 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware. Delta experienced the most significant impact.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, with an additional 3,441 delayed. By Tuesday, 738 flights had faced cancellations or delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the situation in a statement, saying, “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. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that Delta relies on a significant number of applications utilizing Microsoft Windows, including a crucial tool for crew tracking that could not handle the changes resulting from the software malfunction. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, and offered meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.