Microsoft Blames Delta for Botched Travel Meltdown Recovery

06.08.2024 23:56

A botched security software update to Microsoft computers last month led to a global IT outage as companies like Delta Air Lines struggled to get their operations back up and running as quickly as possible. Since then, Delta has spoken out about Microsoft and CrowdStrike's inability to help solve the problem, but both have since pushed back on those claims.

On Aug. 6, Microsoft shot down the idea that they refused to help Delta recover from the outage faster. A letter from attorney Mark Cheffo stated that Microsoft "immediately jumped in and offered to assist Delta at no charge" despite the underlying issue being with CrowdStrike. (CrowdStrike, for its part, declared on Aug. 4 that Delta turned down offers to help speed along the recovery.) According to the note, Microsoft employees asked Delta employees if they needed help every day from July 19 to 23.

"On the morning of July 22, a Microsoft employee, aware that Delta was having more difficulty recovering than any other airline, messaged a Delta employee to say, 'Just checking in and no pressure to reply, but if you can think of anything your Microsoft team can be helping with today, just say the word,'" the letter read, per CNN. "The Delta employee replied, saying 'All good. Cool, will let you know and thank you.'"

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reportedly also emailed Delta CEO Ed Bastian on July 24. The tech conglomerate claimed that Delta's outdated technology systems could explain why the company allegedly turned down help.

"It is rapidly becoming apparent that Delta likely refused Microsoft’s help because the IT system it was most having trouble restoring—its crew-tracking and scheduling system—was being serviced by other technology providers, such as IBM, because it runs on those providers’ systems, and not Microsoft Windows or Azure," the letter said. A preliminary review by the company seemingly suggests that Delta hasn't "modernized its IT infrastructure" while its competitors have.

In response to those claims, Delta reassured customers that its systems are up to date. "Delta has a long track record of investing in safe, reliable and elevated service for our customers and employees," the airline said in a statement, per The New York Times. "Since 2016, Delta has invested billions of dollars in IT capital expenditures, in addition to the billions spent annually in IT operating costs."

The rebuke comes a week after Bastian sat down for a CNBC interview and laid the blame for the long recovery time—the longest of any other major U.S. airline—on Microsoft and CrowdStrike. "They haven’t offered us anything. Free consulting advice to help us," he said bluntly. He also hinted that legal action was on the way due to the profits lost during that time.

"[The issue is] at Microsoft and CrowdStrike, and we are heavy with both. We are by far the heaviest in the industry with both. And so we got hit the hardest in terms of the recovery," Bastian said. "I think this is a call to the industry. Everyone talks about making sure Big Tech is responsible. Well, guys, this cost us a half a billion dollars."

Simply put, Bastian said "We have no choice" when it comes to bringing a lawsuit.

"[We lost money] over a period of five days, not just between the lost revenue, but the tens of millions of dollars per day in compensation and hotels, and we did everything we could to take care of our customers over that time frame," he said. "You can't come in to a mission-critical, 24/7 operation and tell us we have a bug. It doesn't work."

Thankfully, your travel plans for the rest of the summer won't be affected.