Overview
- A USDOT review that began after Delta took longer than peers to recover from a global CrowdStrike software outage in July 2024 was closed without penalties, the department disclosed on Monday.
- The department found that Delta gave prompt refunds, offered baggage help and provided support for passengers with disabilities during the disruption that affected about 1.3 million travelers and cost the carrier roughly $500 million.
- USDOT said the closure, decided in November, included a requirement that Delta give timely notice to customers about their right to seek refunds.
- The decision follows a pattern in the current administration of rolling back or waiving prior aviation enforcement actions, including recent penalties for Southwest and American Airlines and FAA probe closures without fines.
- The episode highlights risks from third-party software outages for airline operations and raises questions about how regulators will handle future cybersecurity-related disruptions and protect stranded passengers.