CrowdStrike is sued by fliers after outage disrupts air travel

CrowdStrike is facing a proposed class action lawsuit from air travelers following a significant global computer outage that disrupted air travel, among other services. The lawsuit, filed in Austin, Texas, claims that the outage was a result of CrowdStrike's negligence in its software testing and deployment. Plaintiffs allege that they incurred substantial expenses for lodging, meals, and alternative travel due to delayed or canceled flights, with some experiencing health issues from sleeping in airports. They argue that CrowdStrike should be held liable for compensatory and punitive damages, citing previous technology-related disruptions in the airline industry as evidence that such an outage was foreseeable. CrowdStrike has stated that it believes the lawsuit lacks merit and plans to defend itself vigorously. The outage, caused by a flawed software update, affected over 8 million computers and led to Delta Air Lines canceling more than 6,000 flights, resulting in an estimated $500 million in losses. Delta has indicated it may pursue legal action against CrowdStrike as well. The case is officially titled del Rio et al v. CrowdStrike Inc, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

- CrowdStrike is being sued by travelers for a major outage that disrupted flights.

- The lawsuit claims negligence in software testing and deployment.

- Plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages for incurred expenses.

- The outage affected over 8 million computers and led to significant flight cancellations.

- Delta Air Lines may also take legal action against CrowdStrike for its losses.