U.S. aviation regulators have launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines, as the airline was still struggling to restore operations Tuesday, four full days after a glitched software update caused technical disruptions around the world and disrupted global air travel. Pictured, a Delta plane takes off from Logan International Airport in Boston, July 12, 2021.
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Travelers, please be patient: Delta Airlines is still in the midst of a fifth day of flight cancellations and delays following a global software outage on Friday.
While the Atlanta-based airline is still working to normalize operations, the U.S. Department of Transportation has opened an investigation into recent flight disruptions, citing a “high volume of consumer complaints” the department has received against Delta.
“I have made it clear to Delta that they care about their customers and must live up to their commitment to customer service,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement Tuesday.
“This is not just the right thing to do, it is the law, and we will use the full extent of our investigatory and enforcement powers to ensure the rights of Delta customers are protected,” he added.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Delta had canceled more than 400 flights and delayed about 860 flights for the day, according to a flight tracking website. Flight Aware.
.U.S. Department of Transportation Amid widespread unrest, the airline has launched an investigation into Delta to ensure it is following the law and keeping passengers safe.
Every air passenger has the right to fair treatment, and I will work to ensure that right is respected.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 23, 2024
In a statement to NPR, Delta Air Lines acknowledged the Department of Transportation’s notice of investigation and said it was “fully cooperating” with the department.
“We are committed to restoring operations after a flawed Windows update from cybersecurity vendor CrowdStrike rendered IT systems around the world inoperable,” the airline said in a statement, adding that teams were working tirelessly to return operations to normal.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian on Monday Said The airline said it was working to restore software that tracks and schedules flight crews, but noted it could take several days for the airline’s operations to be fully restored.
“Everyone across the company is working around the clock to get this business to where it needs to be,” Bastian said in a statement.
Delta Air Lines said in an open letter on Sunday that it was offering travel waivers to passengers on flights affected by the outage, allowing them to change their itineraries and rebook their flights at no extra cost. But Buttigieg said in his X post: Under new federal regulationsYou are not obligated to accept any travel credits offered to rebook your flight, but you will be entitled to an immediate cash refund.
“Delta must provide prompt refunds to consumers who do not rebook, offer free rebookings to consumers who do, provide timely refunds for meals and hotel accommodations to consumers affected by delays and cancellations, and provide appropriate customer service assistance,” he wrote.
A faulty software update from cybersecurity group CrowdStrike knocked millions of Microsoft users offline around the world. CrowdStrike said the issue was a “software glitch” and not a cyberattack. After identifying the problem, the company Said The company has withdrawn the “problematic channel files” that were affecting customer systems.
Delta’s technical issues are comparable to those experienced by Southwest Airlines during the 2022 holiday season. The Dallas-based airline Thousands of flights canceled And millions of travelers were stranded.
As a result of the incident, the U.S. Department of Transportation ordered Southwest to pay a civil penalty of $140 million, which the department said was the largest penalty it had ever imposed on a consumer. Said in a statement announcing the fine.
