Delta denies customer refund backlog, says tweets that it’s 'behind' were 'erroneous'

As the Department of Transportation increases its call on airlines to promptly refund passengers, Delta Air Lines this week said that its past social media posts indicating there was a refund backlog were "erroneous."

DOT requires airlines to refund passengers within seven business days if the customer paid by credit card -- or within 20 days if they paid with cash or check. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently warned Southwest Airlines, after its holiday season meltdown, that his agency "will use the full extent of its investigation and enforcement authority to ensure Southwest complies with its refund obligations."

On Sunday, Delta tweeted that it was "months behind" on processing some refunds for canceled flights.

In one response to a user who asked for an update on the status of what they said was a refund request of more than $13,000, a Delta representative tweeted back: "Due to the backlog/ high volume of refunds, the Refund Department is a couple months behind on processing."

The carrier also tweeted in July and in November that refunds were backlogged, asking customers to allow more than a month for a response.

When ABC News asked Delta about these posts, the company denied the existence of a backlog in refund requests.

In an initial statement, the airline said, "As always, we will provide refunds to eligible requesting customers who elect not to travel as the result of a significant delay or cancellation and seek to do so in a timely fashion."

Delta subsequently deleted the tweets indicating a refund backlog and said in a new statement to ABC News: "We have removed the erroneous Tweets and apologize to our customers for the resulting confusion. We're committed to prompt refunds when they are due because that's the right thing to do for our customers."

Last year, DOT levied more than $7.25 million in fines against six airlines, including U.S. carrier Frontier, for not providing prompt refunds.

The department said it would hold all airlines accountable "if there is evidence that they are failing to meet their refund or reimbursement obligations."

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect an updated statement from Delta Air Lines.