Feds Probe Delta After 5 Days Of Major Flight Delays

Delta Air Lines is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection on the heels of it canceling hundreds of flights for a fifth straight day after a software update bug from CrowdStrike crashed Microsoft systems around the globe.

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Transportation Secretary Mayor Pete Buttigieg made the announcement on social media, saying the department wants to “ensure the airline is following the law and taking care of passengers” during these mass cancellations.

He went on to say that “airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” Delta has canceled over 400 flights Tuesday, and that accounts for about two-thirds of all cancellations in the U.S., according to the Associated Press. That means that just about every other airline has figured this shit out, but Delta is still running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Here’s what Delta told the Associated Press:

“We remain entirely focused on restoring our operation after cybersecurity vendor CrowdStrike’s faulty Windows update rendered IT systems across the globe inoperable,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement. “Across our operation, Delta teams are working tirelessly to care for and make it right for customers impacted by delays and cancellations as we work to restore the reliable, on-time service they have come to expect from Delta.”

Delta has said upward of half its technology systems run on Microsoft Windows, including a tool the airline uses to schedule pilots and flight attendants. That system could not keep up with the high number of changes triggered by the outage.

This, of course, all began in the early hours of July 19 after a software upgrade from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike nuked 8 million Microsoft computers worldwide, according to the AP. Since then, Delta has canceled more than 7,000 flights – far more than any other airline.

The DoT said it launched the infestation after seeing Delta’s continued widespread flight disruptions and “reports of concerning customer service failures.” It told the AP that the investigation will evolve as it “processes the high volume of consumer complaints we have already received against Delta.”

This is what the investigation into Delta by the Department of Transporation will zero in on, according to the AP:

Investigators are likely to focus on whether Delta is complying with federal rules and offering prompt refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed. In a text provided to The Associated Press, a Delta passenger whose flight was canceled Saturday was told, “If you prefer not to rebook your trip, your ticket value will automatically be available as an eCredit that can be used towards a future Delta ticket.”

If you’ve been impacted by an issue with a Delta flight, the Department of Transportation has just the portal for you. Go here, and let them know how shitty your experience has been.