Global Windows Outage Causes Flight Chaos: Airlines Struggle to Deal with Technical Issues
On Friday, a global Windows outage caused widespread chaos as computer systems crashed around the world. This outage, reportedly caused by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, resulted in over 1,000 flight cancellations and delays for many airlines. Passengers were left wondering if their flights were still scheduled to depart, while airlines struggled to manage the situation.
Airlines Affected by the Outage:
1. Aegean Airlines: While relatively unaffected, Aegean Airlines warned that certain services on their site may be affected. Flights to airports with operational issues may also face changes.
2. Air France: Air France’s operations were disrupted due to the global IT issue. However, flights already en route were not affected, and the airline’s app and website continued to work normally.
3. Allegiant: CNN and the New York Times reported that Allegiant experienced problems with check-ins, bookings, and boarding passes. The airline has not made any official statements on social media.
4. Akasa Airlines: Indian budget airline Akasa Airlines reported infrastructure issues with their service provider. Online services, such as booking and check-in, were temporarily unavailable. The airline requested passengers with immediate travel plans to arrive early at the airport for manual check-in and boarding.
5. American Airlines: American Airlines acknowledged a technical issue with a vendor that impacted multiple carriers, including themselves. They were able to re-establish their operation safely.
6. Binter: Spanish airline Binter reported that all airports were operational but operating more slowly due to the worldwide technical incident. Passengers were advised to check their flight status.
7. Delta: Delta temporarily paused all flights due to a vendor technology issue. Impacted customers were notified through the Fly Delta app and text messages.
8. Frontier: U.S. budget airline Frontier experienced a Microsoft outage, impacting their systems and causing disruptions. However, they lifted the pause on flights 35 minutes later.
9. IndiGo: Indian budget airline IndiGo faced network-wide issues with Microsoft Azure, resulting in delays at airports. Check-ins became slower, and queues grew longer.
10. Jetstar: Australian budget airline Jetstar was impacted by a global software issue. All Jetstar Airways flights were canceled until 2 am local time on Saturday, July 20th. The airline apologized for the inconvenience and offered free moves or voucher refunds to affected customers.
11. KLM: Dutch airline KLM had to largely suspend operations due to the global computer outage. The airline is working hard to resolve the problem and minimize inconvenience for customers.
12. Qantas: Some Qantas flights experienced delays due to the global software outage. The airline assured customers that they were working on resolving the issues as quickly as possible.
13. Ryanair: European budget airline Ryanair advised passengers of service disruptions and recommended arriving at the airport three hours before the scheduled departure time.
14. Singapore Airlines: Although Singapore Airlines’ services and reservation hotlines experienced technical issues initially, they were back to normal a few hours later. Customers were advised to make new flight bookings or amendments through the SIA website or mobile app.
15. SpiceJet: Indian airline SpiceJet ensured that all scheduled flights for the day would depart. They were working closely with airports and authorities to minimize disruptions.
16. Sun Country: Sun Country’s services were temporarily unavailable due to a global information vendor outage.
17. Swiss International Air Lines: Flight operations were affected by IT disruptions at partner organizations and air traffic control. Passengers were directed to check flight status on the airline’s website.
18. TAP Air Portugal: TAP Air alerted customers to possible consequences of the outage on air traffic and airports.
19. Turkish Airlines: Turkish Airlines had to cancel some flights due to the global technical issue. Customers were advised to check flight status on the airline’s website or mobile application.
20. United Airlines: United Airlines resumed some flights after the initial delays caused by the outage. The airline issued a waiver to make it easier for customers to change their travel plans.
21. Vueling: Spanish budget airline Vueling informed passengers of the global computer system outage affecting their operations. They recommended waiting for email notifications regarding flight cancellations instead of going to the airport.
22. Wizz Air: European airline Wizz Air urged customers to arrive three hours early at the airport, although their systems appeared to be working.
Airport Closures:
While most airports are still open but experiencing major delays, some have completely or partially closed in the U.S., including Boston Logan International Airport, Aspen Airport, Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.
Flight Resumption:
The exact timing for when flights will resume remains uncertain. However, some airlines have already resumed operations. Passengers should stay updated through airline notifications and check their email for any direct updates from the airline.
In conclusion, the global Windows outage caused significant disruptions for numerous airlines worldwide. As passengers anxiously awaited information about their flights, airlines worked to address the technical issues and minimize the impact on their operations. The situation serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of technology and the potential consequences of system failures in critical industries such as aviation.