Delta Faces Class Action Over 2024 Outage Refund Failures

Delta Air Lines is now facing a class action lawsuit from passengers who claim they never received refunds after the global CrowdStrike outage in 2024. A U.S. District Court judge in Atlanta ruled that the airline may be held accountable for breach of contract, citing the Montreal Convention, which governs international air travel and mandates compensation for delayed or canceled flights. The lawsuit involves several plaintiffs, including travelers who missed significant events or incurred major expenses due to Delta’s prolonged recovery period following the outage.

While many airlines were able to resume operations within days, Delta experienced outsized disruption, canceling approximately 7,000 flights and taking a major financial hit. One plaintiff, John Brennan from Florida, missed a $10,000 cruise and received only a fraction in compensation. Another traveler from the Netherlands had his luggage delayed for over two weeks and was partially reimbursed. These and other cases prompted legal action that has now cleared a significant hurdle.

Beyond passenger litigation, Delta has filed its own lawsuit against CrowdStrike, alleging that faulty updates led to massive system crashes. CrowdStrike has denied the claims, countering that its assistance was rejected by the airline. The case illustrates not just the financial vulnerability of carriers to IT outages but also the growing legal risks they face when recovery efforts fall short.

This lawsuit also reignites broader concerns about aviation’s dependence on technology, especially as airlines, airports, and government agencies continue to grapple with both weather-related and digital disruptions. Past incidents, such as the May 2024 Southwest Airlines delays and the 2023 outage at Hong Kong International Airport, show that system resilience remains a critical challenge for the global aviation sector.