Ethical Innovations: Embracing Ethics in Technology

Ethical Innovations: Embracing Ethics in Technology

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Cork Man Sues Ryanair After Family Misses Flight Due to IT Outage

A man from Cork initiated legal proceedings against Ryanair in the small claims court after his family missed a flight due to an IT outage. The incident occurred on July 19, 2024, when nearly 100 passengers were unable to board a Ryanair flight from Bordeaux to Cork that was scheduled to depart at 9:05 AM. The airline experienced a Microsoft IT failure that necessitated a return to manual check-ins, leading some passengers who arrived well in advance of departure to be classified as no-shows.

During the court hearing in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, it was revealed that Ryanair argued it had no obligation to reimburse those who made alternative travel arrangements after missing the flight. David Hickey, representing himself and his family of five, presented his case before District Court Judge Stephanie Coggans. As discussions progressed towards a potential settlement, Ryanair's barrister indicated she had been instructed to defend the claim instead.

This legal action highlights ongoing issues related to airline responsibilities during operational disruptions and raises questions about passenger rights in similar situations.

Original article

Bias analysis

The given text presents a multitude of biases and manipulative language, which will be thoroughly analyzed in the following paragraphs.

One of the most striking aspects of the text is its cultural and ideological bias, which leans towards a Western-centric worldview. The incident occurred on July 19, 2024, in Bordeaux, France, but the narrative is framed from a distinctly Irish perspective. The fact that the man from Cork initiated legal proceedings against Ryanair in an Irish court highlights the local focus of the story. This framing reinforces a sense of national identity and community, potentially creating an emotional connection with readers who identify as Irish or European. However, this narrow perspective neglects to consider how passengers from other countries might have been affected by the IT outage or how international airline regulations might have played a role in resolving the issue.

Furthermore, linguistic and semantic bias are evident throughout the text. The use of emotionally charged language such as "IT failure" creates a sense of urgency and blame towards Ryanair. This framing obscures agency by implying that Ryanair was solely responsible for the incident without considering external factors that might have contributed to it. Additionally, phrases like "nearly 100 passengers were unable to board" create a sense of drama and emphasize Ryanair's culpability. These rhetorical devices manipulate readers' emotions and perceptions without presenting a balanced view.

The text also exhibits economic and class-based bias by framing passenger rights within an individualistic narrative. The focus on one family's experience reinforces a notion that airline responsibilities are primarily personal rather than systemic issues affecting all passengers equally regardless of their socioeconomic status or background. By emphasizing individual claims against airlines rather than advocating for collective action or policy changes, this narrative perpetuates existing power structures that favor wealthier travelers who can afford to pursue lawsuits.

Cultural assumptions rooted in Western worldviews also underlie this narrative's handling of technology failures like IT outages as exceptional events rather than systemic problems inherent to complex systems like airlines' operations management systems (OMS). This assumption overlooks potential structural issues related to software design flaws or inadequate maintenance practices within these systems – issues often invisible until they cause significant disruptions such as those experienced during flight cancellations due to technical failures.

Moreover, structural and institutional bias become apparent when examining how airline responsibilities are framed within this context. By focusing solely on passenger rights during operational disruptions without questioning broader regulatory frameworks governing airlines' accountability for such incidents suggests implicit support for existing power dynamics between corporations (like airlines) and consumers (passengers). Furthermore, no mention is made about regulatory bodies responsible for overseeing airline operations; their roles; nor any potential shortcomings they may have regarding handling similar incidents effectively – reinforcing further systemic biases embedded within current structures governing commercial air travel.

Selection and omission bias also become apparent when analyzing sources cited throughout this article – none explicitly mentioned here but implied through discussion around court proceedings involving District Court Judge Stephanie Coggans alongside barristers representing both parties involved: David Hickey representing his family versus unnamed representatives acting on behalf Ryanair respectively indicate specific narratives being presented through selective inclusion/exclusion strategies employed across media outlets reporting similar stories surrounding operational disruptions caused by IT outages affecting multiple flights operated under same carrier company - reinforcing particular interpretations over others based upon chosen information presented at hand

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