Holidays are a time to unwind, explore and create lasting memories with your family. But no matter how meticulously planned your trip might be, unexpected events like flight delays and inclement weather can derail even the best laid plans. In recent memory, one of the most significant events that caused major delays in air travel was the 2024 CrowdStrike incident. The following is a layman’s explanation on what caused the outage, how it affected airlines and how comprehensive travel insurance for lost luggage and flight delay compensation can help you.
What is CrowdStrike and why did it affect air travel?
For most people, the outage was probably the first time they heard of CrowdStrike at all. This is largely due to the company dealing in cybersecurity for businesses, which isn’t something many people would be aware of – despite the remarkable number of companies that rely on its services.
CrowdStrike’s main product is the Falcon platform, which uses AI and machine learning to detect, prevent and respond to cyber threats in real-time. This platform is used by many companies to protect their IT infrastructure from a range of threats, including malware, ransomware and other forms of cyberattacks. This is especially important for businesses that rely heavily on digital operations, including airlines, as they protect against potential breaches that could disrupt critical systems responsible for flight operations, bookings or customer data.
On 19 July, CrowdStrike deployed a faulty update that crashed Windows computers operating the Falcon software. For airlines, this meant that physical and cloud-based Windows computers handling information on bookings and customer data could not be operated, resulting in major air travel disruptions worldwide. In Changi Airport alone, the CrowdStrike outage resulted in over 100 flights experiencing delays of over 30 minutes while self-service counters remained inoperable.
The importance of contingency planning
The CrowdStrike incident is a clear example of the importance of contingency planning and has resulted in many companies relooking their processes to ensure there isn’t a single point of failure. For travellers, it’s equally important to be prepared for unexpected scenarios like this. Here are three examples where travel insurance can come in handy beyond simple flight delay compensation.
#1 Compensation for hotel bookings
For more severe delays that could strand you overseas, some travel insurance policies can help cover the cost of a hotel stay. This is especially important if you find yourself stranded in a location with particularly expensive accommodation.
#2 Travel insurance for lost luggage
In addition to delayed flights, the CrowdStrike incident resulted in many cases of lost or delayed luggage. Travel insurance for lost luggage can ensure that you’re reimbursed for missing items, allowing you to purchase replacement items without incurring too much expense.
#3 Healthcare and medicine
If you’re living with chronic conditions and require regular medication, chronic illness coverage can ensure you get the healthcare you require without incurring additional costs. This is especially important for longer term delays due to weather conditions and essential medication like insulin.
Choose an experienced travel insurance provider
Pacific Prime CXA is a travel insurance provider that offers travel insurance for lost luggage and flight delay compensation and even the most unexpected disruptions like the CrowdStrike incident. For a full list of available benefits and a free quote, visit their website flight delay compensation.
