The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld as the airline continues to face flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment. He noted that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the recent technological disruptions.
Atlanta-based Delta has been struggling to restore full operations days after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The update, released late Thursday, had a defect that affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in significant operational challenges for many businesses worldwide, including an alarming incident known as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The crisis impacted nearly every major industry, most notably airlines and airports. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and around 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most significant impact.
Delta reported cancelling about 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, 738 flights were already reported as canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, stating that cancelling a flight is a last resort and not a decision taken lightly. He apologized to all passengers affected by the disruptions and emphasized Delta’s commitment to connecting the world.
Bastian revealed that a considerable number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to the system shutdown. To assist customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free changes to flights and has offered meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.