Air Canada chatbot gave inaccurate bereavement-fare information, causing overpayment

Air Canada’s online chatbot gave passenger Jake Moffatt inaccurate information about the airline’s bereavement travel policy before he booked a flight to attend his grandmother’s funeral. Moffatt said he relied on the chatbot and later sought reimbursement after Air Canada refused to provide the fare adjustment. A small-claims tribunal awarded him damages, and Air Canada was reportedly forced to provide a partial refund.

Why this is unexpected

The chatbot was expected to accurately explain Air Canada’s fare policy, but instead supplied misleading information that contributed to a customer’s financial loss and a legal dispute.

Sources

• incidentdatabase.ai