Air Canada must honour refund policy invented by its AI chatbot

[AisleSeat]

Air Canada has been forced to give a partial refund to a grieving passenger who was misled by an airline chatbot inaccurately explaining the airline's bereavement travel policy.

Air Canada must honor refund policy invented by airline’s chatbot

Air Canada appears to have quietly killed its costly chatbot support.

arstechnica.com

 

[RooFlyer]

Extraordinary behaviour by the airline - but not surprising.

Reaffirms my determination to never knowingly engage in 'chat' on a website.

 

[Mattg]

Does this extend to airlines having to honour incorrect information given by untrained call centre staff?

 

[Clayton]

It would be a miraculous leap forward if it were to extend to deletion of difficult to come by partner bookings by partially/untrained staff being indemnified by the employing FF program?

 

[Danger]

It's ridiculous the passenger even had to escalate the matter beyond Air Canada. If Air Canada wants to get away with provided completely inaccurate information, it should just open a call centre in Manila, Cape Town or Suva.

Extraordinary behaviour by the airline - but not surprising.

Reaffirms my determination to never knowingly engage in 'chat' on a website.

Actually, I think it's a reason to engage with chat. You might get lucky. And the upside is you'll always at least be able to take screenshots, if not send yourself a transcript.

 

[elanshin]

Does this extend to airlines having to honour incorrect information given by untrained call centre staff?

If you had a transcript of the wrong information, i think you probably could have a case.

 

[ThePointyEnd]

It's ridiculous the passenger even had to escalate the matter beyond Air Canada. If Air Canada wants to get away with provided completely inaccurate information, it should just open a call centre in Manila, Cape Town or Suva.



Actually, I think it's a reason to engage with chat. You might get lucky. And the upside is you'll always at least be able to take screenshots, if not send yourself a transcript.

I believe that's a really important point. You can't beat hard copy evidence.

 

[Prof Henry]

You can outsource the function but you can't outsource accountability!

 

[TheRealTMA]

You can outsource the function but you can't outsource accountability!

Qantas did!

 

[quick_dry]

Qantas did!

umm, Aussie innovation leading the way?

 

[TheRealTMA]

umm, Aussie innovation leading the way?

Qantas enhancements using AI for call centres. What could possibly go wrong. Then again, never know, could provide quicker and better response.

 

[quick_dry]

Qantas enhancements using AI for call centres.

nothing screams "the situation is getting worse for the consumer" than when an airline says "enhancement"

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Well done to Tribunal member Christopher Rivers!

 

[tdimdad]

Qantas enhancements using AI for call centres. What could possibly go wrong. Then again, never know, could provide quicker and better response.

Most likely the responses would become much more consistent. If that's a win in case of QF & AI...

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Could be an opportunity to obtain favoruable statements from Chatbots and then use them against companies!