What We Can Learn From Delta Air Line’s Power Outage

Last Monday Delta Air Lines experienced a massive disruption in their service from a power outage due to what some outlets suspect is the result of aging technology. As many as 400 flights were cancelled leading to stranded and delayed travelers across the country. So what can the rest of us learn from this mishap?

On top of dealing with disgruntled passengers, Delta is now facing falling stock prices, millions of dollars in lost revenue and a black mark on their reputation. Fortunately, they were able to rectify the issue relatively quickly, but damage had already been done.

Scenarios like this are the perfect example and case study for why maintaining your backup power network and having a preventative maintenance strategy in place can save your company from facing a similar nightmare.

One of the factors some are pointing to is the fact that Delta seemed to rely on IT networks that have been in place since the 1990s. We’ve talked before about how important it is ensure that you’ve rightsized your data network and backup power systems. Outdated networks can not only be economically inefficient, but as was the case with Delta, these systems can have vulnerabilities that make it difficult to come back online after a loss of power.

With all of this in mind, the first thing you should do is have someone review your backup power network to ensure that it is sufficient to handle your current needs. Once everything has been reviewed and optimized, including replacing outdated equipment, a preventative UPS maintenance strategy should be implemented.

The preventative maintenance part is key. A proper maintenance strategy will identify potential points of failure and ensure faster downtime response. The cost of downtime can be one of the most significant blows to a company’s bottom line. If you’re curious how downtime would affect your company you can use our cost of downtime calculator.

At the end of the day, we’re sorry to hear about what Delta and their customers had to experience, but for the rest of us this can be a valuable lesson learned. If you have questions or concerns about your own company’s backup power network, contact us today. We can help review your critical power infrastructure and provide insight that can help prevent disaster.