Air Passengers Face Uncertain Compensation for CrowdStrike IT Outage Disruptions

Passengers traveling by air encountered chaos and uncertainty at Luton Airport in London due to a significant IT outage affecting airlines and various companies.

Global IT Outage Impact on Air Travelers

Travelers facing disruptions from a global IT outage caused by a defective CrowdStrike software update on Friday may not receive guaranteed compensation for their delayed or canceled flights.

Extent of IT Outage and Flight Disruptions

The global IT outage, triggered by a faulty Thursday update for Windows issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, impacted 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide, leading to a cascade of flight delays and cancellations.

Compensation Challenges for Affected Passengers

While passengers whose flights were canceled are eligible for refunds, additional compensation is not assured. This poses a challenge for travelers seeking alternative arrangements to reach their destinations, potentially incurring higher costs than their original ticket prices.

Legal Implications and Industry Response

Under UK and EU law, passengers are entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations caused by airline faults, unless deemed extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority indicated that the IT outage could fall under such circumstances, potentially exempting airlines from fixed-sum compensation obligations.

In the US, airlines set their own reimbursement policies, with no standardized industry compensation for stranded passengers. However, the US Department of Transportation considers IT-related flight disruptions controllable by airlines and urges carriers to assist affected passengers during major delays.

Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized passengers' rights to prompt refunds for canceled flights and encouraged airlines to fulfill their responsibilities in assisting passengers affected by significant delays.

Passengers seeking further information or wishing to claim compensation can refer to the original article on Business Insider.

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By: cmanley@businessinsider.com (Cameron Manley)
Title: Air Passengers Face Uncertain Compensation for CrowdStrike IT Outage Disruptions
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/airlines-passengers-compensation-disruptions-it-outage-crowdstrike-refund-2024-7
Published Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:21:59 +0000