Delta Air Lines is currently embroiled in a class action lawsuit stemming from allegations that the airline failed to provide refunds to customers affected by a recent global technology outage. The incident, which occurred last month, severely impacted Delta’s operations, leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights due to critical systems being rendered inoperable.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division, represents Delta customers who were adversely affected by the outage. According to the complaint, customers claim that Delta either refused or neglected their requests for timely refunds for flights that were canceled or delayed. Additionally, the lawsuit asserts that Delta did not offer all affected passengers meal, hotel, and ground transportation vouchers, and has failed to address reimbursement requests for the unexpected expenses incurred.

Describing Delta’s actions as “unfair, unlawful, and unconscionable,” the lawsuit alleges that the airline benefited unjustly at the expense of its customers. The plaintiffs are seeking refunds on behalf of all Delta customers whose travel plans were disrupted as a result of the outage.

Despite these allegations, Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has yet to provide a formal response to the accusations. The U.S. Department of Transportation has initiated an investigation into the airline’s handling of the situation, particularly focusing on the delayed recovery compared to other carriers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has expressed concern over Delta’s customer service practices, citing excessive wait times for assistance and incidents of unaccompanied minors being stranded at airports.

In a surprising development, Microsoft has announced its collaboration with cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to counter Delta’s claims. Delta had previously attributed the flight cancellations to these companies following the July outage. However, a lawyer for Microsoft clarified that Delta’s key IT system likely relies on other technology providers rather than Microsoft Windows.

Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, previously disclosed that the technology outage, initiated by a faulty upgrade from CrowdStrike on Microsoft Windows-operated machines, incurred a substantial cost of $500 million for the airline. Bastian hinted at the possibility of legal action in response to the situation.

Despite the ongoing legal battle and scrutiny, Delta emphasized its significant investments in maintaining reliable service, highlighting substantial IT capital expenditures since 2016 and yearly IT expenditure in the billions. The airline refrained from further commentary on the matter.

Both CrowdStrike and Microsoft have refuted Delta‘s accusations, asserting that the airline declined their assistance during the outage. Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, reportedly reached out to Ed Bastian via email, offering support, but received no response from the Delta CEO.

The lawsuit against Delta underscores the importance of accountability and transparency in the airline industry, signaling a potential shift towards increased scrutiny of customer service practices and technological dependencies within the sector.

Related stories:

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• Delta Air Lines Pursues Legal Action Against CrowdStrike and Microsoft Over Flight Disruptions
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