The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that it is addressing consumer needs amid ongoing flight cancellations related to a recent global tech outage.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He noted that the Department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring its operations after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike led to widespread disruptions. This update, which impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, left many corporate users unable to access their systems and experiencing issues such as the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech outage affected nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines suffered particularly severe consequences, with over 46,000 flights delayed and around 5,171 canceled on one Friday alone, as reported by FlightAware. Delta was among the hardest hit.
On Friday and Saturday alone, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights. It continued to experience significant disruptions, with more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, in addition to 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, the airline reported 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the 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. 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 numerous applications utilizing Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to the system failures. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, allowing passengers to change their flights for free, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.