In a significant ruling, the British Columbia Civil Resolution Tribunal has ordered Air Canada to reimburse passenger Jake Moffatt for damages and tribunal fees, following an erroneous advice given by the airline’s chatbot regarding a bereavement fare. The case, brought to light by Air Passenger Rights advocate Gabor Lukacs, highlights the growing importance of airline accountability for the actions of their AI and chatbot technologies.
In 2022, Air Canada’s chatbot erroneously advised passenger Jake Moffatt that he could apply for a bereavement fare after booking a full-fare flight for his grandmother’s funeral. Despite following the chatbot’s advice, Moffatt’s request for the discount was denied by Air Canada, who argued that the chatbot was a “separate legal entity” responsible for its own actions.
The British Columbia Civil Resolution Tribunal ruled against Air Canada, mandating the airline to cover Moffatt’s damages and tribunal fees, totaling $812.02. Tribunal member Christopher Rivers emphasized that Air Canada is responsible for all information on its website, regardless of its source.
This case, highlighted by Gabor Lukacs of the Air Passenger Rights advocacy group, is considered a landmark decision that underscores airlines’ responsibility for their AI and chatbots’ actions. Similar issues with AI in the airline industry have occurred, like a WestJet chatbot incident in 2018 and ChatGPT integrations by major travel companies such as Expedia in 2023.
Airlines are now called to refine AI tools to improve reliability and customer service, amid varied global passenger protections.
