The Department for Transport says the move aims to ensure passengers are taken care of after a global cyber holiday
The US Department of Transportation said Tuesday it is launching an investigation into Delta Air Lines after the carrier canceled more than 5,000 flights since Friday as it struggles to recover from a global cyber outage that has crippled airlines around the world.
While other carriers were able to resume regular flights, Delta continued to cancel hundreds of flights daily due to problems with its crew scheduling system.
Darren Hartman, president of the Delta Air Lines Pilots Association, joined the chorus of criticism on Tuesday, writing to members bemoaning their “inability to communicate with the company in any capacity and the feeling that we have been abandoned in the system” during the holiday. . .
Starting Friday, Delta canceled 30 percent or more of its daily flights through Monday, canceling 444 flights on Tuesday, or 12 percent of its schedule as of 11:00 a.m. and delaying another 590, or 16%, according to FlightAware, after 1,150 were canceled Monday.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Tuesday that the investigation was to “ensure that the airline follows the law and takes care of its passengers during the ongoing widespread disruption … Our department will take full advantage of its investigative and enforcement powers to ensure the rights of Delta passengers are preserved.”
Delta said it had received the USDOT’s notice of investigation and was cooperating fully. “Delta’s teams are working tirelessly to care for and fix customers affected by delays and cancellations as we work to restore the reliable, on-time service they’ve come to expect from Delta,” the airline said. Delta shares were down 0.5% in early trading.
Delta Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said on Monday that the US carrier would need another two days before its operations recovered.
A software update from global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused system problems for Microsoft customers, including several airlines, on Friday.
Delta is widely respected for reliable operation. Analysts say its on-time performance in terms of arrivals and departures has helped the airline cement its position as a premium airline.
The issue has upset customers. Many complained of waiting hours for help as the airline’s helplines were overwhelmed. Some were forced to rent cars, driving hundreds of miles to reach destinations, while others said they would have to wait days for new flights.
In December, Southwest Airlines agreed to a record $140 million civil penalty for the 2022 holiday debacle that led to 16,900 flight cancellations and stranded 2 million passengers, settling a USDOT investigation.
