Latest news with #ITfailure
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
SAAQclic ‘bumpy' as early as 2018, witness tells Gallant commission
The Gallant Commission, tasked with investigating the failures of the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) IT transition, on May 15, 2025, in Quebec City. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot) The digital transition at Quebec's automobile insurance board (SAAQ) was already 'bumpy' in 2018, the commission investigating the SAAQclic fiasco heard Monday. Sylvain Cloutier, director of the project office, testified before the Gallant commission, which travelled to Quebec City to begin its sixth week of hearings. He spoke about the coloured indicators used by his team to track progress — markers that, without clear explanation, often shifted from red to green. 'When things become increasingly chaotic, doesn't accountability matter?' asked Justice Denis Gallant, pressing Cloutier on his apparent lack of control over how the colours were assigned. Cloutier said the indicators 'on their own weren't enough' to give a full picture of the project's status. The board's vice-president of information technology, Karl Malenfant, would regularly step in to offer 'explanations.' Malenfant's name has surfaced repeatedly over the past six weeks at the Gallant commission. 'There were problems, but Mr. Malenfant didn't try to hide them,' said Cloutier. 'He's an experienced man. He's led major projects at Hydro-Québec, at Rio Tinto. He knows what he's talking about. He came in to explain things and reassure the team — not reassure as in spinning stories,' Cloutier added. 'Was everyone aware?' commission lawyer Vincent Ranger asked. 'Was Mr. Malenfant transparent about how difficult the rollout was?' 'Yes,' Cloutier replied. 'Would it be fair to say Mr. Malenfant is naturally optimistic?' Ranger followed up. 'Yes, that's true,' Cloutier said. 'But not in a head-in-the-clouds way. He likes a challenge.' 'I didn't take bribes' Cloutier also admitted Monday to manipulating a public tender worth over $1 million so it would be awarded to external consultant Stéphane Mercier. 'That was my mistake,' Cloutier acknowledged under questioning from Justice Gallant. 'I'm not saying what I did was right. But I take responsibility — it was me.' In 2017, Cloutier urgently requested the bidding threshold be lowered to $990,000 after Mercier informed him he couldn't qualify for the contract because he didn't have authorization from Quebec's financial markets authority. That authorization is required for contracts valued at more than $1 million. 'I was in a panic,' Cloutier said, recalling thinking, 'If I don't have this guy to keep going, we're in deep trouble (…) I'm losing expertise.' 'I did it with the intention of not delaying the project,' he said. 'I didn't take any bribes. I'm not going on fishing trips. I'm not sailing around on a yacht. That's not what this is.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 9, 2025.
Times
11-05-2025
- Times
Stansted airport IT failure: what you need to know if your flight is delayed
An IT failure at London Stansted on the morning of Sunday, May 11, has left passengers facing long queues, missed flights and severe delays. Check-in, baggage handling and security systems were affected and although the airport says the problems have now been resolved, many flights are still subject to significant delays. A spokesman for Stansted told PA: 'All systems have now been fully restored and no flights have been cancelled as a result of the IT issue. We are investigating the cause of the earlier issue so nothing is confirmed at this stage but, for background, it looks like it was related to internet access for some systems.' Ryanair, easyJet and Jet2 are among the operators affected by disruption. Although there have been no cancellations and many flights are now leaving on time, there are still significant delays on others. As of 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon, the airport was reporting that all operations were back to normal. Most flights appear to be running to schedule; only Jet2 still seems to be facing significant delays, with nine flights expected to be delayed by between one and five hours. Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights. A problem with internet access seems to have caused several systems to fail, with problems first reported at about 6am on Sunday, May 11. Your airline should automatically inform you when your flight is delayed (and explain the reason why). It should also inform you of your rights to any compensation, if you are eligible. Alternatively, check the live departure information at the airport you're travelling from, or use a flight-tracking website such as FlightRadar24. Even if your flight is delayed, you should still make your way to the airport and check in for the scheduled time. You may not be eligible for compensation and any associated return flights may be cancelled if you fail to do this. For flights to and from the UK, two pieces of legislation govern delay compensation. Your flight must have been delayed by at least three hours for you to be entitled to anything, and the delay must have been caused by something within the airline's control. This includes faulty aircraft or strikes by the airline's own staff. If the reason for your delay is to do with extreme weather or strikes by non-airline staff, these are considered extraordinary circumstances and delays caused are not eligible for compensation. In the UK there's a fairly robust legislation around passenger rights. Airlines have a duty of care — regardless of the cause — when a flight to or from the UK has been delayed for three hours or more, or if it has been subject to last-minute cancellations. They should provide reasonable amounts of food and drink (usually in the form of vouchers), means for you to communicate (such as internet data or phone minutes), and accommodation if they're not able to fly you out on the same day. Your flight will need to be delayed for more than two hours on short-haul flights (under 1,500km), more than three hours on medium-haul flights (1,500km to 3,500km) and more than four hours on long-haul flights (more than 3,500km) for this duty of care to kick in. All flights departing from the UK, or operated by a UK or EU airline with a UK destination or a UK airline with an EU destination, are covered by UK law regarding refunds and compensation for delays and cancellations. EU regulation 261/2004 is the original legislation you can claim under. It covers any flights that departed from anywhere within the EU, or EU airline-operated flights with an EU destination. • The best and cheapest travel money providers abroad• Best travel debit and credit cards to use abroad When your flight has been delayed for five hours or more, regardless of the reason, you can choose not to travel. You'd then be eligible for a full refund. After you accept the refund, the airline's duty of care ends and you'll have to make your own onward travel plans. Claims for delay compensation must be submitted directly to the airline you flew with (rather than the one you booked for code share partners). You'll need the scheduled and actual arrival times (and that of alternative flights if applicable), plus the reason for the delay or cancellation, alongside evidence of any flights you've travelled on, such as a boarding pass to make a claim. If you incur reasonable costs — for example, for food and drink because a voucher wasn't provided — you should retain your receipt and put in a claim for these too. These should be submitted either online or by post. Airlines should have the contact information you need on their websites. • Travel insurance guide: everything you need to know
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Stansted Airport plunged into travel chaos as IT fault causes major delays and missed flights
Flights at Stansted Airport were thrown into chaos this morning after an IT fault brought key operations to a standstill — leaving passengers facing long queues, missed flights and major delays. The technical issue affected check-in, baggage handling and security, forcing thousands of holidaymakers to queue for hours. Although airport authorities say the issue has now been resolved, delays are still being felt across the terminal. Images from the scene show snaking queues stretching throughout the airport, with some travellers waiting outside the terminal just to get in. STANSTED AIRPORT CHAOS: IT FAILURE SPARKS MASSIVE QUEUES, MISSED FLIGHTSThousands of passengers stuck in long lines at London Stansted this morning after a major system failure hit check-in, baggage & security. Some gave up and went airport says the issue is resolved,… — Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) May 11, 2025 One passenger, Anne Alexander, shared her experience on X, saying: 'Some people are queuing outside just to get inside the airport terminal. 'Some have given up and gone home as they have missed their flights. 'Many passengers in the queue – including me – have flights leaving in the next 15 mins. And we are still in the security queue.' Stansted Airport has apologised for the disruption and said staff are working to get passengers through the terminal as quickly as possible. A spokesperson for the London-based airport said: "Our teams are working hard to fully restore operations following the IT issue that impacted our systems earlier this morning. "While the issue has been resolved, some flights may still be subject to delays. "We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and advise passengers to check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport."
The Independent
11-05-2025
- The Independent
Stansted Airport chaos as IT crash sees hundreds miss flights
A major IT failure at London Stansted Airport caused significant disruption on Sunday, May 11, 2025. An estimated 10,000 passengers missed their Flights due to extensive delays in baggage handling and security. The IT crash affected various airport systems, leading to long queues and flight disruptions. While Jet2 and Tui delayed Flights to accommodate passengers, Ryanair dispatched planes on time to avoid further delays. Passengers reported chaotic scenes, including long queues, difficulties accessing the terminal, and issues with baggage drop-off.
