On Tuesday, the U.S. Transportation Department announced it is investigating Delta Air Lines following the carrier’s cancellation of over 5,000 flights since Friday. This comes as Delta struggles to recover from a global cyber outage that has disrupted airlines worldwide.
Unlike other carriers that have resumed normal operations, Delta continues to cancel hundreds of flights daily due to problems with its crew tracker application. Since Friday, Delta has been canceling 30% or more of its flights each day.
On Tuesday, the airline canceled 469 flights, or 13% of its schedule as of 3:45 PM ET, and delayed another 1,061 flights, or 30%, according to FlightAware. This follows the cancellation of 1,150 flights on Monday.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that the investigation aims to ensure Delta is complying with legal requirements and properly addressing passenger needs during the widespread disruptions. “Our department will use the full extent of our investigative and enforcement powers to uphold the rights of Delta’s passengers,” Buttigieg said.
Delta acknowledged receipt of the USDOT’s notice of investigation and expressed its commitment to cooperating fully. “Delta teams are working tirelessly to assist and compensate customers affected by delays and cancellations as we strive to restore the reliable, on-time service they expect,” the airline said. Delta’s shares were down 0.5% in early trading.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian indicated that the airline would need a few more days to fully recover its operations. By Monday morning, the carrier had already canceled 4,000 flights. A software update from global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike triggered system issues for Microsoft customers, including many airlines, on Friday.
Delta is known for its reliable performance, which has helped it maintain its status as a premium airline. The disruptions have left many customers frustrated, with complaints about long waits for assistance as the airline’s helplines were overwhelmed.
Some passengers had to rent cars and drive long distances to reach their destinations, while others faced waits of several days for new flights.
The disruptions have also left the airline’s pilots frustrated. In a letter to members, Delta’s pilot union head Darren Hartmann said pilots have had trouble contacting the company, leaving them feeling “abandoned in the system.”
Separately, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee chair Maria Cantwell on Tuesday wrote to Delta CEO Bastian, saying she is concerned that the airline is not complying with passenger rights codified in a law that Congress passed in May.
“Delta should invest significant resources into its customer service operations to ensure that customers are made whole in short order,” she wrote in the letter.
In December, Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) agreed to a record-setting $140 million civil penalty over the 2022 holiday meltdown that led to 16,900 flight cancellations and stranded 2 million passengers, resolving a USDOT investigation.
