Delta Air Lines criticized after massive flight cancellations

The ongoing flight cancellations and "unacceptable" customer service of Delta Air Lines were sharply criticized on Sunday by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. This response followed the airline's cancellation of an additional 1,300 flights. After a global software outage on Friday crippled the aviation industry, Delta continues to grapple with significant aftereffects. On Sunday, over 1,300 flights were canceled, comparable to the cancellations of the previous two days. This amounts to about one-third of the airline's planned flights. According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, an additional 1,600 flights were delayed on that day. The software outage, triggered by a faulty update from CrowdStrike, severely impacted several airlines. Companies such as Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines had to cancel flights because systems dependent on Microsoft Windows were affected. Delta, in particular, is struggling to restore regular operations. While other airlines managed to reduce their cancellations to a manageable level, Delta alone canceled around 1,200 flights each on Friday and Saturday. Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to customers in a statement. "Canceling a flight is always our last option and something we take very seriously," Bastian emphasized. The software outage disrupted, among other things, an essential tool for tracking flight crews. To accommodate affected passengers, Delta offered free rebookings for all flights scheduled between Friday and Sunday. Additionally, meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options, where available, were provided. Secretary Buttigieg demanded in a social media post on Sunday evening that Delta promptly offer refunds to passengers who do not wish to undertake new flights and swiftly reimburse meal and hotel costs for customers affected by delays. He asserted that no one should be stranded overnight at an airport or have to wait for hours to reach a customer service representative. Complaints about unmet customer service requirements should be reported to the Department of Transportation. Initially, airlines assumed that the outage was beyond their control and that ensuring the possibility of free rebooking was sufficient. However, the Department of Transportation clarified on Friday that the software outage is considered a controllable event and US-based airlines must offer compensation to customers affected by flight disruptions.