Microsoft Rejects Delta's Claims, Says Airline Rejected Help Offers

Microsoft responded on Tuesday to Delta Airlines' allegations concerning the massive IT outage that caused thousands of flight cancellations last month. Delta CEO Ed Bastian had stated that the airline has "no choice" but to seek damages from Microsoft and CrowdStrike for the disruptions, which he claimed cost the company around $500 million.

The outage, triggered by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike on July 19, led to over 5,000 Delta flight cancellations and affected millions of computers running Microsoft Windows. Delta struggled significantly more than its competitors to recover from the incident.

In a letter to Delta's attorney, Mark Cheffo, a partner at Dechert representing Microsoft, highlighted that other airlines like American and United recovered more quickly. "Our preliminary review suggests that Delta, unlike its competitors, apparently has not modernized its IT infrastructure," Cheffo wrote.

Delta defended its investments, stating, "Since 2016, Delta has invested billions of dollars in IT capital expenditures, in addition to the billions spent annually in IT operating costs."

In a previous letter dated July 29, Boies accused Microsoft of gross negligence related to the faulty update. Microsoft, however, emphasized its attempts to assist Delta during the crisis. "Each day from July 19 to July 23, Microsoft employees said they could help, but Delta turned them away," Cheffo noted.

Microsoft's response echoed similar sentiments from CrowdStrike, which also rejected Delta's claims. The conflict between the companies underscores the complexities and challenges of IT infrastructure in the airline industry.