U.S. Department of Transportation opens investigation into Delta Air Lines

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday an investigation into Delta Air Lines five days after a failed software update sent air travel into chaos.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made the announcement on X. He says he seeks “to ensure the airline is following the law and taking care of its passengers during continued widespread disruptions.”

“All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly. And I will make sure that right is upheld,” Buttigieg added.

Delta’s struggles are shocking

Delta had 440 of the 654 cancelled flights on Tuesday, according to data posted by FlightAware as of 10:05 A.M. Eastern time. United Airlines was next among U.S. airlines with 41, followed by American with 33.

Delta has the most delayed flights among U.S. airlines with 481. The embattled airline has issued a statement in response:

“Delta is in receipt of the Department’s notice of investigation and is fully cooperating. We remain entirely focused on restoring our operation after cybersecurity vendor CrowdStrike’s faulty Windows update rendered IT systems across the globe inoperable. 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.”

A walk through the terminals revealed individuals taking naps and nursing babies. Others patiently waited for answers from gate agents. But, the core of Delta’s issues lies with their crew tracking system. It was unable to find pilots, crew and the requisite operations staff to manage the team on the plane.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I was stranded in Miami for 48 hours. Delta Air Lines offered me a $24 gift card for my discomfort.

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