Friday’s CrowdStrike/Windows outage wreaked havoc on IT systems worldwide. Airlines were hit particularly hard, but nobody performed worse than Delta.
Other airlines mostly recovered by the end of Friday, but Delta canceled a whopping 36% of flights and delayed another 45% of flights on Saturday, they canceled 36% of flights and delayed another 44% of flights on Sunday, they canceled 30% of flights and delayed another 46% of flights on Monday, and they canceled 14% of flights and delayed another 47% of flights yesterday. Things are finally looking up, with just 1% of flights canceled and 19% of flights delayed today.
The airline caused much consternation by banning everyone under 18 from flying without an adult from Friday through yesterday, and without communicating that to the affected parties.
For an airline that markets itself as premium, mostly due to its on-time performance, it has also been stingy with compensation, offering just a piddling number of Skypesos to people affected by the cancelations. It has also refused to rebook or reimburse passengers for travel on other airlines, as Southwest did during its meltdown. Delta has continued to blame CrowdStrike for its issues, but that doesn’t explain why other airlines managed to recover relatively quickly.
But in the meantime, you can refund all Delta tickets for travel through Sunday, 7/28, even if the flight isn’t delayed or canceled. You can also rebook travel through Sunday, 8/4, with no difference in fare.
More interestingly, as noted by @xJonNYC, you can check up to 3 free bags on all Delta flights (except departures from Amsterdam) through Sunday, 7/28. Overweight fees and oversize fees are also being waived. You can see this in the Delta bag calculator. You may also be able to claim a refund for any bag fees paid since Friday.
Yes, you can even check 3 bags that each weigh 100 pounds and measure 115 inches for free!
In the meantime, the US DOT is investigating Delta and how it’s taking care of affected passengers. Be sure to file a DOT complaint if Delta isn’t taking care of you!
While you should first try to resolve issues directly with the airline, we want to hear from passengers who believe that Delta has not complied with USDOT-enforced passenger protection requirements during the recent travel disruptions. We will follow up. https://t.co/Noj5A5hE8w
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 23, 2024
Have you been affected by the CrowdStrike outage?
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16 Comments On "After Days Of Meltdown, Delta Allows Refunds And Waives All Bag Fees (Travel With 300lbs For Free!) Through Sunday"
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300 pounds to Israel too?
“on all Delta flights (except departures from Amsterdam)”
Ironically, Southwest’s outdated technology infrastructure, which wreaked havoc a year and a half ago, served it quite well this time around. Many of their internal systems use a 32 year old version of Windows. Not great for functioning in the 21st Century but it came in handy during the CrowdStrike outage.
https://www.govtech.com/question-of-the-day/why-isnt-southwest-affected-by-the-crowdstrike-microsoft-outage
Even domestic flights?
“on all Delta flights (except departures from Amsterdam)”
Delta’s response for reimbursement of alternate travel expenses of canceled flight before the IT breakdown,
“ Flight disruption related to an Air Traffic Control delay outside of Delta’s control and is not eligible for expense reimbursement.”
Report them??
When I checked my itinerary from Phl to Yyc with a stop in msp on the 28th the calculator said I get one free oversize bag but no 2nd to to an embargo? Also does the free change apply to tickets booked from westjet?
Dan – I was in England for Pesach. My AA flight back was delayed 18 hours.
My family was put up in a hotel – and I was told to keep my receipts of dinner since I eat Kosher.
When I came back I got the run around of lies about my refunds.
I called, chatted, tweeted etc.
I also reported to DOT.
Fast forward until last week.
They finally sent a check for my dinner – for the amount in $$ and not pounds.
A few days later I got another check (close to what the food cost)and a formal apology, and I had to fill out a form for each family member for the full amount the law requires 520 pounds per person – I saw it was because of my complaint to DOT.
It took long – but it seems that it was the only effective way to be reimbursed
What does luggage have to do with anything? Is this a glitch? Or does Delta think that this is a way to compensate passengers (including those who were not affected)?
They were hit the worst bc they used the computer system to schedule their flight crew but I was in the airport Tuesday, Wednesday and Monday and all the airlines stank. Six hour delays with no gate agents or info or water, flights on the tarmac for hours, and more.
I think they all tried but were overwhelmed. I don’t understand why Delta is being picked on for not responding quickly. These issues aren’t new. I spent over three hours on the phone with Jetblue multiple times in January 2022 while dealing with an incorrect charge, don’t start me on United’s awful sms experience that also took hours that June and was lied to that they canceled my ticket when they didn’t. American didn’t want to talk to me when I booked AA on the United website so all airlines are equal in my eyes.
Huh? Delta had by far the worst and longest meltdown this round.
When other airlines have melted down, we wrote about that as well.
Literally the first link in the post https://www.dansdeals.com/more/news/airline-news/affected-todays-crowdstrike-microsoft-windows-outages/
I didn’t mean that they didn’t and am not defending them. I’m simply saying they’re all the same. And explaining that Delta was hit the worst bc they were hit in more than one area.
JetBlue will always be…. JetBlue. They are known for delays and cancelations
I don’t understand the anger abt unaccompanied minors. It was the most responsible decision to make. They did not have the resources and made the correct decision. There were bad rainstorms for a few days and some flights were canceled for weather related issues. Planes were in the wrong cities, crews timed out and flights were canceled overnight.
Many kids would have ended up stuck overnight. We were canceled and had to spend the night in NYC unexpectedly and it was due to weather so there was no compensation. Everyone around us had a story. So glad kids didn’t have to deal with that!!
And when it’s a kid taking a direct flight home?
They should’ve communicated.