In a recent interview on CNBC's 'Squawk Box', Delta CEO Ed Bastian openly criticized Microsoft, labeling it as a particularly fragile platform. This comes in the wake of a major internet outage in mid-July, caused by a faulty update, which severely impacted numerous companies, including airlines like American Airlines, United, and Delta itself.
The outage disrupted critical systems, leading to grounded flights and significant operational chaos. Bastian did not hold back when asked if Delta would reconsider its reliance on Microsoft in the future. "We have to. My sense is [Microsoft is] probably the most fragile platform within that space... When was the last time you heard about a big outage at Apple?" he stated.
When pressed by the interviewer on whether Apple's lack of major outages could be attributed to its lower market penetration compared to Microsoft, Bastian avoided the question. Despite this, he made it clear that Delta is actively seeking to recover its alleged $500 million profit loss through legal action against both Microsoft and security firm CrowdStrike.
Delta has increasingly integrated Apple products into its operations. Notably, Delta was the first airline to use Apple's business chat to enhance customer service. In 2021, the airline provided its pilots with upgraded electronic flight bags, switching to 5G-equipped iPad Pros. Furthermore, in December 2023, a TikToker revealed that newer Delta planes allow passengers to directly connect their AirPods or any Bluetooth headphones to the in-flight entertainment system.
As Delta continues to navigate the challenges posed by technological dependencies, Bastian's remarks underscore a growing preference for Apple's reliability over Microsoft's perceived fragility.
