The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure proper consumer care amid ongoing flight cancellations stemming from a recent global technology failure.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers have the right to fair treatment, stressing his commitment to uphold that right. He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation after significant tech outages caused by a software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully restoring operations following a flawed software update last Thursday that disrupted businesses worldwide. This technical issue particularly affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to access problems for corporate users and some experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech outage had a widespread impact across various sectors, including healthcare, retail, delivery, and financial services, but airlines and airports were among the most severely affected. On one day alone, Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and an additional 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant disruptions.
During the fallout, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and further cancellations continued with over 2,500 flights scrubbed on Sunday and Monday, along with around 3,441 delays. Even on Tuesday, the disruptions persisted with a total of 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement, clarifying that canceling flights is a last resort and not a decision made lightly. He apologized to all affected travelers, acknowledging the difficulty caused by the disruptions. Bastian stated that Delta operates numerous applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including essential crew tracking tools that were unable to adapt after the system shutdown. In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights without charge, and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.