Thousands of British travellers stranded and out of pocket due to the global IT outage caused by CrowdStrike may not receive compensation for their cancelled and delayed flights, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has ruled.
The CAA, the UK’s air passenger watchdog, informed airlines on Friday that the widespread IT meltdown, affecting 8.5 million Windows computers worldwide, will likely be deemed “extraordinary circumstances.” This classification exempts airlines from the usual compensation obligations.
Legal Ramifications
Despite the CAA’s guidance, the authority has cautioned airlines to prepare for potential legal action from passengers or traveller advocacy groups. Passengers denied compensation under the new rules may pursue claims directly.
Expenses incurred due to delays, such as unexpected hotel and meal costs, will still be reimbursed to passengers. However, additional compensation typically provided under standard EU regulations will not be available.
Airlines could potentially seek damages from CrowdStrike, the Texas-based cybersecurity firm responsible for the faulty update. Negotiations on terms and potential compensation from CrowdStrike may be underway.
Impact on Travellers
The outage caused significant disruption across the global transport network, grounding flights and leaving passengers stranded at airports. The issue rendered countless computers inoperative, including those relied upon by airports and payment systems.
