Delta Airlines Sues Over Blue Screen Crash: Microsoft Offers Assistance, but the Airline Declines
Brook.X
Delta Airlines has initiated legal action against CrowdStrike and Microsoft, seeking compensation for massive losses incurred following a blue screen crash incident caused by CrowdStrike. The airline alleges over $500 million in damages due to numerous flight cancellations and passenger compensations.
Typically, such lawsuits and claims for compensation might not proceed as expected. The user agreements of both Windows and CrowdStrike explicitly state that they are not liable for compensatory damages, implying that by using these products, individuals and businesses agree to these terms.
Nonetheless, facing a lawsuit could potentially tarnish Microsoft's reputation. In a preemptive move, Microsoft's legal department has reached out to Delta Airlines' legal team, outlining the efforts Microsoft undertook in the aftermath of the CrowdStrike-induced blue screen incident.
Microsoft asserts that despite the incident not being caused by its software, it promptly contacted Delta Airlines on July 19 to offer assistance. Between July 19 and July 23, Microsoft employees reached out daily to offer technical support, which Delta Airlines declined each time. Microsoft emphasized that this assistance would have been provided free of charge.
Interestingly, on July 22, Delta Airlines responded to Microsoft with a message stating everything was under control and they would reach out if necessary, thanking Microsoft for the offer.
Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella personally emailed Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian, hoping Bastian would agree to let Microsoft staff assist Delta's IT team in system recovery. However, Bastian did not respond to Nadella's email.
Reports also mention that CrowdStrike's CEO sent an email offering assistance to Bastian, which similarly went unanswered. Consequently, Delta Airlines managed to restore its systems solely with its IT team's effort, incurring additional losses over several days.
The reason why Delta Airlines was reluctant to accept external help remains unclear. It might be speculated that the assistance from Microsoft or CrowdStrike could potentially involve Delta's proprietary business information. The detailed circumstances may only be revealed if the case proceeds to court.
