The Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection has initiated an investigation into Delta’s ongoing operational issues. The DOT Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, has emphasized the importance of Delta taking care of its passengers and honoring their customer-service commitments. This investigation comes in response to the significant disruptions caused by a CrowdStrike outage on July 19, which crashed Delta’s Microsoft Windows operating system, impacting more than half of its worldwide IT systems.
Delta has been forced to cancel over 5,400 mainline flights and delay more than 7,700 flights as a result of the IT system outage. Passengers have been facing a myriad of customer-service problems, including misplaced baggage, long wait times at call centers, and difficulties with digital rebooking tools. Despite the chaos, Delta has assured that it is fully cooperating with the DOT and is dedicated to resolving the situation promptly.
Delta has not provided a timeline for when its operations will return to normal. However, the airline has committed to compensating affected customers with SkyMiles points or travel vouchers, based on the extent of the disruption. Additionally, Delta is offering reimbursements for expenses incurred by passengers such as hotel accommodations, meals, and ground transportation. Customers with canceled or significantly delayed flights also have the option to request a refund through delta.com/refund.
The investigation into Delta’s operational meltdown is expected to mirror the one conducted by the DOT into Southwest Airlines following a similar incident during the 2022 holiday season. Southwest faced nearly 17,000 flight cancellations over an 11-day period, resulting in a consent decree that included $140 million in penalties for the airline. Delta will likely be subjected to similar scrutiny and potential consequences.
Delta’s ongoing operational meltdown has raised significant concerns among passengers and regulators alike. The airline’s ability to swiftly and effectively address the issues at hand will be critical in restoring confidence in its services and ensuring that passenger rights are upheld. The DOT’s investigation will shed light on the root causes of the meltdown and hold Delta accountable for its actions.