After the CrowdStrike update in July and the subsequent IT outage that affected Microsoft-operated devices and Delta Airlines software, scorned travelers filed a class-action lawsuit against the airline.
The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Georgia, alleges that passengers were denied refunds and other compensation. And it’s not the only legal issue the airline is facing.
“The impact on Delta passengers has been catastrophic,” the lawsuit states. “Delta’s failure to recover from the CrowdStrike outage left passengers stranded at airports across the country and the world, and in many cases thousands of miles from home.”
Related: Delta Hiring Power Attorney After CrowdStrike Outage and Mass Cancellations
The lawsuit alleges that in certain cases, Delta would offer refunds only if passengers signed a legal waiver offering to take legal action against the airline, and in other cases, automatic refunds were denied by the airline altogether.
Other passengers in the suit claim that Delta did not provide them with food, shelter or transportation while they were on the ground, and that they had to pay for unexpected expenses themselves.
“While nearly every other airline quickly recovered from the July 19 ‘technical outage,’ Delta passengers were left stranded and waiting in lines for days trying to get to their destinations,” attorney Joe Sauder of Sauder Schelkopf said in a statement. “When our clients demanded a refund, Delta again failed to deliver. We look forward to litigating on their behalf.”
Related: Delta Airlines Cancels Hundreds More Flights, Customers Furious
The mass cancellations were caused by a July 19 CrowdStrike update that caused widespread outages on Microsoft-operated devices and affected one of Delta’s best crew tracking tools.
Delta is estimated to have lost between $350 million and $500 million amid the outages, which have caused the cancellation of nearly 7,000 flights and more than 176,000 scorned customers.
Still, CrowdStrike and Delta take no responsibility for the travel nightmare.
Related: Delta CEO Talks Flight Cancellations, CrowdStrike
Delta told employees in an internal memo last week that the company “plans to pursue legal claims” against CrowdStrike and has hired celebrity attorney David Boies.
That prompted a response from attorney Michael Carlinski, representing CrowdStrike, who claimed the company had offered Delta on-site assistance during the outages, but had “received no response.”
Delta had not filed a lawsuit against CrowdStrike at press time.