The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is safeguarding consumer rights amid ongoing flight cancellations that followed a major global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers in a statement on social media Tuesday. He noted that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation after the outage caused disruptions.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming operations following a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that affected companies worldwide. This update revealed defects impacting Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, which left many corporate users unable to access their systems and led to incidents like the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech issue affected nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines and airports experienced some of the most significant disruptions, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled just last Friday, according to FlightAware. Delta faced the most substantial impact.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on both Friday and Saturday. From Sunday to Monday, Delta reported more than 2,500 canceled flights and an additional 3,441 delays. On Tuesday alone, 738 flights were either canceled or delayed, as per FlightAware.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement, acknowledging the difficulty cancellations pose for travelers. He stated, “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.”
Bastian mentioned that Delta relies heavily on various Microsoft Windows applications, including tools for crew tracking that are essential for managing flights. In response to the disruptions, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, allowing customers to change flights without charge and providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.