US DOT: Airlines Not Liable for A320 Software Update Flight Disruptions
Key Points
- 1The US Department of Transportation ruled airlines are not obligated to compensate passengers for recent flight disruptions.
- 2Delays and cancellations stemmed from an emergency US FAA directive requiring mandatory software updates on Airbus A320 planes.
- 3The USDOT clarified that these FAA-mandated issues are not within a carrier's control, thus exempting airlines from providing hotels or meals.
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has clarified that airlines are not obligated to provide compensation, such as hotels or meals, to passengers affected by recent flight disruptions. These disruptions, which included numerous delays and cancellations last month, were a direct result of an emergency government directive.
The directive, issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), mandated critical software updates for all Airbus A320 aircraft. The USDOT confirmed that this FAA-mandated issue falls outside the circumstances considered to be within an airline's control, thereby exempting carriers from compensation requirements for the resulting passenger inconveniences.
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