The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations stemming from a global technological outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the rights of airline passengers in a social media statement on Tuesday, asserting, “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 response to the recent tech disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced operational challenges as it tries to recover from a software update mishap by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday. This problematic update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users losing access to their systems and experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of this incident extended across various major industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. However, the airline sector suffered significantly, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, as noted by FlightAware. Delta experienced the brunt of these disruptions, canceling approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, followed by over 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, an additional 738 flights were 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 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 the airline relies on numerous applications that depend on Microsoft Windows, including tools essential for crew tracking that were unable to adapt to the disruptions caused by the system failure. In response to the travel chaos, Delta has initiated a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.