The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations attributed to a recent global tech outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers on social media and noted that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the situation.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has been struggling to return to normal operations since a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused widespread disruptions late last Thursday. This issue affected Microsoft’s Windows systems, leading to access problems for corporate users and in some cases resulting in the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of the incident was felt across nearly every major industry, including healthcare, retail, delivery, and finance. However, airlines and airports faced particularly significant challenges, with FlightAware reporting over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,171 cancellations on Friday alone. Delta was the most affected airline.
In total, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday and Monday, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights and saw an additional 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, FlightAware reported that 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the difficulties faced by travelers and stated that canceling flights is always a last resort. “I want to apologize to everyone who has been impacted by these events,” he said. “Delta is committed to connecting the world, and we recognize how challenging it can be when plans are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that numerous Delta applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including one for crew tracking that struggled to adapt to the system failures. In response to the disruptions, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights at no additional cost and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation for affected passengers.