Delta Faces Class Action Over July 2024 Computer Outage

A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Delta Air Lines must face a proposed class action lawsuit from passengers who allege the airline failed to provide full refunds after flight delays and cancellations caused by a major computer outage in July 2024. The outage, triggered by a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, disrupted over 8 million computers and severely impacted Delta, which canceled about 7,000 flights and reported significant financial losses. While many airlines resumed normal operations quickly, Delta's disruptions persisted, and passengers claim the company only offered partial refunds if they waived further legal action. The judge allowed several breach of contract claims and claims under the Montreal Convention to proceed, while dismissing others preempted by federal law. Plaintiffs include travelers who missed significant events and suffered financial losses, with Delta offering compensation amounts far below their actual expenses. Delta has not yet publicly commented on the ruling, having previously sought dismissal of most claims.