The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to verify that it is adequately addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations linked to a global tech malfunction last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating on social media that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully restoring operations after a problematic software update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected companies globally. The flawed update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to access issues for corporate users and some experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a widespread impact across various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports particularly hard-hit. On a single day, Friday, over 46,000 flights faced delays, and more than 5,170 were canceled, with Delta being the most affected airline.
During this crisis, Delta canceled around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, and over the following two days, it canceled more than 2,500 flights, along with 3,441 delays. On Tuesday alone, there were 738 cancellations or delays recorded.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, issued an apology to those affected, stating that canceling flights is a difficult decision and a last resort. He acknowledged that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for various applications, including those critical for crew tracking, which were disrupted by the tech issues. To assist passengers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.