The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure that it is adequately addressing consumer needs following a series of flight cancellations resulting from a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that “all airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly,” and he is committed to ensuring that this right is enforced. He revealed that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring normal operations after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected various businesses worldwide. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and, in some cases, experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of the outage was wide-reaching, affecting nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines and airports were particularly hard hit; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and an additional 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware. Delta experienced the most significant disruptions.
The airline canceled around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and according to FlightAware, it canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, along with delaying another 3,441 flights. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had been either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events.” He acknowledged that Delta utilizes a considerable number of applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to the system shutdown. Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.