The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld after the airline has faced ongoing flight cancellations linked to a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted the issue on social media, affirming that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment. He mentioned that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the disruptions caused by the tech incident.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore its operations following a significant software update failure by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. This update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, disrupting business operations across various sectors, including healthcare, retail, and finance. Airlines, particularly Delta, were among those severely impacted, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, according to FlightAware.
In response to the disruption, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights over the weekend and noted further cancellations on Sunday and Monday, with 2,500 flights grounded and 3,441 delayed. By Tuesday, the airline reported an additional 738 flights affected.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the situation, stating that canceling flights is a last resort. He emphasized the difficulty faced by travelers during such disruptions and issued a travel waiver to allow customers to change their flights at no cost, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.