U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wants major airlines to issue refunds for flights that were canceled last week due to an IT outage.
The Microsoft outage resulted in major airlines deciding to cancel 10,000 flights across the United States. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation is investigating several airlines after delays continued this week. Blumenthal said the outage was not the airlines’ fault, but their response was an “abject failure.”
“We cannot allow this kind of meltdown to become business as usual,” Blumenthal said. "These airlines need to do better. We are in the 21st century. They are failing to invest in the systems that can be put back online more quickly.”
Blumenthal said he had received complaints from flyers that airlines have either refused to refund the cost of the flights or delayed refunds. He said people reported being stranded for days after the outage, which goes against a law that passed last year.
Under the FAA Reauthorization Act, airlines are required to provide travelers with timely refunds for canceled and delayed flights. These protections are implemented by new DOT rules and include an “Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights.”
“So I have written to airline representatives and I have said you must comply with the law and make these refunds immediately, automatically in cash, no questions asked,” Blumenthal said.
In a letter to the industry trade association Airlines for America, Blumenthal demanded that airlines comply with existing consumer protection laws. He said airlines that only offer flight credits to passengers will also be in violation of federal law. The DOT will investigate and enforce penalties for violations.
