The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns, particularly as it continues to cancel flights following a global technology outage last week.
In addition to this, McDonald’s is facing its first lawsuit resulting from the E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and vowed to uphold their rights. He mentioned that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the recent tech difficulties.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has struggled to return to normal operations since a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused disruptions worldwide. This update affected Microsoft Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users—Delta included—without access to essential systems and, in some cases, facing severe errors.
The ripple effects of this incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions. Airlines, however, experienced particularly severe disruptions, with FlightAware reporting over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,000 cancellations on Friday alone, with Delta being hit the hardest.
Over the course of Friday and Saturday, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights. In total, the airline scrapped more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, alongside an additional 3,441 delays. On Tuesday alone, 738 flights were either canceled or delayed, according to FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, stating that canceling a flight is a last resort and not a decision made lightly. He extended apologies to all travelers affected by these disruptions, reaffirming Delta’s commitment to connecting people around the world and understanding the challenges caused by travel interruptions.
Bastian noted that Delta relies on a considerable number of applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including a crucial tool for tracking crew changes, which was hindered due to the system malfunction. To help affected customers, Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing complimentary flight changes, as well as meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.