Delta Airlines is still struggling to recover after the recent global tech outage left the company unable to find pilots and flight attendants; and on top of canceled flights due to a lack of personnel, the company is also under investigation by the Department of Transportation, which is holding them accountable for passenger protection policies.
As we previously reported, a software update released by CrowdStrike, a leading global cybersecurity firm, inadvertently caused system issues for Microsoft and several airlines last Friday (July 19). While most of the airlines in the U.S. were able to quickly recover from the disruption, Delta Airlines continues to suffer in the aftermath, struggling to restore normalcy to its flight schedule.
To compare, on Monday (July 22), American Airlines canceled only 1% of its flights and United Airlines canceled less than 1%, but Delta Airlines ended up canceling about 16% (over 600 flights) as of 7:00 a.m. EST., according to data from FlightAware. The situation left thousands of Delta passengers stranded, with many forced to seek alternative transportation options (like renting cars) to reach their destinations. Meanwhile, others were forced to endure lengthy delays or even cancel their trips.
RELATED: Delta Cancels 600 More Flights As It Struggles To Recover From Tech Outage
On Sunday (July 21), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg offered a heads-up to all airline travelers letting them know that cancelations would be plentiful.
He said, “I have made clear to Delta that we expect the airline to provide prompt refunds to consumers who choose not to be rebooked, and free rebooking and timely reimbursements for food and overnight hotel stays to consumers affected by the delays and cancellations, as well as adequate customer service assistance to all of their passengers. No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent. I will ensure that our department supports Delta passengers by enforcing all applicable passenger protections.”
As of Tuesday (July 23), Delta Airlines is still struggling to recover after the global tech outage as they are still having to cancel flights now due to a lack of pilots and flight attendants. After experiencing tech issues, the airline is still unable to fix its crew tracking system, leaving it without staff to fly its planes.
According to CNN, the meltdown at Delta could last all week after hundreds more flights were canceled early Tuesday morning. As of 2 p.m. EST, the Atlanta-based airline canceled another 466 flights, and its regional carrier Endeavor Air, canceled another 28 flights. Between Delta and its Delta connection company, more than 5750 fights have been canceled since Friday’s tech outage.
Delta Airlines is now under investigation as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announces that the Department of Transportation plans to launch an investigation to ensure Delta is following the law and treating passengers fairly — specifically when it comes to consumer complaints, refunds, rebooks, etc. The DOT said it has received a “high volume of consumer complaints” since Friday’s outage and that it will penalize an airline if found guilty of “unfair and deceptive practices.” Delta has also told CNN that it is cooperating with the investigation.
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