We’ve got some big news in the airline industry as the federal government launches an investigation into Delta Air Lines amid significant operational struggles. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the probe on Tuesday, aiming to ensure that the airline adheres to laws and properly handles its passengers during these widespread disruptions.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) opened the investigation following Delta’s cancellation of over 4,000 flights since Friday. Buttigieg took to social media platform X to emphasize the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers, promising to uphold their rights.
.@USDOT has opened an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is following the law and taking care of its passengers during continued widespread disruptions.
All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 23, 2024
Delta Air Lines has acknowledged the situation and is fully cooperating with the DOT. The airline expressed its commitment to working tirelessly to address the delays and cancellations, aiming to restore the reliable service that customers expect. Delta has faced substantial backlash, with hundreds of complaints filed with the DOT regarding the service disruptions.
The catalyst for these disruptions was a global tech outage caused by Austin-based CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. This outage affected various sectors, including emergency services, banks, and hospitals. The issue stemmed from a defect in a content update for Windows hosts, which also crippled airline operations.
We have received reports of continued disruptions and unacceptable customer service conditions at Delta Air Lines, including hundreds of complaints filed with @USDOT.
I have made clear to Delta that we will hold them to all applicable passenger protections.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 22, 2024
The outage led to 35,000 delays and 8,500 cancellations across the U.S. from Friday to Monday morning, according to FlightAware. Delta was hit hardest, with CEO Ed Bastian noting that many of Delta’s critical applications, including those for crew tracking, rely on the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Bastian explained that the CrowdStrike bug forced Delta to pause its entire operations and technology platform, leading to a series of startup issues. He warned that while efforts are ongoing, it will take a few more days before the worst of the disruptions are behind them.
Delta is working diligently to return to normal operations and is offering affected customers compensation through SkyMiles Program miles or travel vouchers.
