The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer concerns amid ongoing flight cancellations following a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and that he is committed to upholding this principle. He noted that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the tech issues.
Delta, which is headquartered in Atlanta, has faced significant operational challenges since a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted operations worldwide. This update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in many users encountering serious technical difficulties.
The incident had wide-ranging impacts across various sectors, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and financial institutions. Airlines were particularly hard hit, with more than 46,000 flights delayed and over 5,171 canceled on the Friday following the outage, according to FlightAware. Delta experienced the most disruptions, canceling approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. The airline reported an additional 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, alongside 3,441 delays. On Tuesday alone, 738 flights were either delayed or canceled.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret over the disruptions, stating that canceling flights is a last resort and not a decision taken lightly. He apologized to all customers affected by the outages, emphasizing the airline’s mission to connect people and the difficulties arising from travel interruptions.
In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no extra cost, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.