Delta meltdown: Buttigieg says more than 3,000 complaints filed since DOT probe launched

ATLANTA - After days of delays and cancelations in the wake of the CrowdStrike outage, Delta Air Lines says it has returned to normal operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and around the world.  

That news comes as the U.S. Department of Transportation continues its investigation into the airline after a tech outage on Friday continued to cause problems for six days. In that time, the airline canceled more than 6,000 flights and delayed many more.  

Buttigieg on Delta Air Lines response to outage 

On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told FOX 5’s Tyler Fingert in a one-on-one interview that the agency has received more than 3,000 complaints from Delta passengers.  

"When there is a disruption, you need to be able to get a hold of a customer service agent who can help you, someone who can make sure you get the vouchers for meals, hotels, rebooking, that kind of thing, and somebody who can get you on your way," Secretary Buttigieg said. "So, when we hear these reports of somebody having to wait in line for 8 hours to speak to somebody on the phone, people sleeping on the floor in airports because they weren't able to get accommodated or taken care of, that's a major concern and that's going to be a big focus of our investigation." 

SEE ALSO: Delta Air Lines recovering from overhaul of delays, cancellations due to IT outage.

Buttigieg says airlines need to provide a basic level of customer service and must meet their legal obligations. He says the investigation launched this week will look into all of the issues travelers faced. 

"It’s too soon to say how long the investigation will take or what the result will be when it is complete, but what I will say is we opened a new chapter in enforcement with the Southwest action, and we have sought to have this be really a new era of expanding passenger rights," he said. "Those principles are going to guide us in terms of how we conduct this investigation and how we respond to what we find." 

Buttigieg says as part of the investigation Delta will need to turn over data to investigators for a variety of things, including customer service wait times. 

Last year, the U.S. DOT penalized Southwest Airlines $140 million for its 2022 holiday meltdown that left nearly 17,000 flights canceled. Buttigieg says if they find that Delta did not live up to expectations, they will have to answer for what happened. 

"The point is not just to make sure there's accountability for what happened, it's to make sure things like this are less likely to happen in the first place for the future," Transportation Secretary Buttigieg said. "That is a big part of the goal of all of our work and all of the pressure we put on airlines." 

Flight refunds and vouchers: What you need to know

Can you get a refund for the flight? What about vouchers? Travelers are entitled to a refund of the ticket price and associated fees if it meets one of the following criteria: 

• Canceled Flight: If an airline cancels a flight, passengers are entitled to a full refund, regardless of the cancelation reason.
• Schedule Change/Significant Delay: Passengers can claim a refund if a significant schedule change or delay occurs, and they opt not to travel. The Department of Transportation (DOT) assesses "significant delay" on a case-by-case basis, considering factors like delay length and flight duration.
• Class of Service Change: If downgraded to a lower class (e.g., from first class to economy), passengers are entitled to the fare difference.
• Optional Service Fees: Refunds are granted for optional services (e.g., baggage fees, seat upgrades) if they are unusable due to flight cancellations, delays, or schedule changes.
• Lost Baggage: Passengers whose baggage is declared lost by the airline are entitled to a refund of the baggage fee. Airlines typically declare bags lost between five and fourteen days after the flight.
• Fully Refundable Tickets: Consumers with fully refundable tickets are entitled to a refund if they do not complete their travel.

Situations such as personal issues which caused the traveler to miss the flight, unsatisfactory service, or incidental expenses are not covered by the above. 

In addition, ticket holders who purchased at least seven days before departure can get a full refund from the airline a full refund within 24 hours or have a reservation held at the quoted price for 24 hours without requiring payment. This does not apply to tickets bought through travel agents or third-party vendors online. 

Airlines must issue refunds within seven business days for credit card payments and within 20 days for cash or check payments. 

Passengers should proactively request refunds in writing from the airline or ticket agent. 

For more information, refer to the DOT guidelines on Airline Ticket Refunds and Consumer Protections. 

To cancel or refund a Delta flight, follow this link.

Luggage at Atlanta airport: How to claim bags

Delta says it is utilizing delivery partners to assist in making final mile delivery of bags needing to be returned to customers at their homes or their final travel destinations.

Customers have three options for support with displaced luggage: 

1. Visit their local Baggage Service Office and file a claim. 
2. Visit Delta.com, search Online Baggage Claim Form and submit a claim. 
3. Call 1-800-325-8224 to make a baggage claim.