- A global IT outage caused over 2,600 flight cancellations and nearly 9,200 delays.
- The outage affected major U.S. airlines, including American, United, and Delta.
- The issue was traced to a defect in a Microsoft Windows update.
A worldwide IT outage led to significant disruptions in the aviation sector, with over 2,600 flights canceled and nearly 9,200 delays. Major U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, were forced to issue ground stops for all their flights due to communication issues.
The problem was identified as a defect in a Microsoft Windows update, according to cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. While most airlines resumed operations later in the day, residual effects continued to cause delays and cancellations.
Global Tech Outage Cripples Airlines, Cancels Thousands of Flights
A significant IT outage caused havoc in the aviation industry, leading to the cancellation of over 2,600 flights and nearly 9,200 delays. Major U.S. airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines were particularly affected, issuing ground stops early in the day. This widespread disruption extended beyond aviation, impacting sectors like banking and media.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the outage stemmed from a defect in a Microsoft Windows update. Crowdstrike, the cybersecurity firm, clarified that it was not a security breach but a technical malfunction. As a result, airlines faced issues with critical systems, including those for calculating aircraft weight and checking in passengers.
Despite the resumption of flights later in the morning, the ripple effect of the outage continued to cause delays and cancellations. Passengers at various airports reported surprisingly calm environments, although they experienced extended wait times and limited information updates. Airlines issued waivers and rebooking options to mitigate the impact on travelers.
Airlines are required by the Department of Transportation to offer refunds for canceled flights and may provide additional compensation for delays within their control. Travelers were encouraged to check the DOT customer service dashboard for detailed information on compensation policies. This incident underscores the vulnerability of the aviation industry to IT-related issues and the need for robust contingency plans.
The global IT outage exposed significant vulnerabilities in the aviation sector’s reliance on technology. While most flights resumed, the widespread disruptions highlighted the critical importance of maintaining robust and resilient IT systems to ensure seamless operations.
“The issue affected many separate systems, such as those used for calculating aircraft weight, checking in customers, and phone systems in our call centers,” United Airlines stated.
