Saturday, July 20, 2024 A global IT outage on Friday canceled thousands of flights and forced several airlines to request ground stops, throwing travel into chaos. The IT glitch triggered worldwide flight chaos, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated. Airports descended into disarray as airlines struggled with the sudden failure.
Travelers faced delays, cancellations, and confusion. Airlines issued waivers and worked to fix the issue, while passengers sought alternative routes. This incident highlighted the aviation industry’s dependence on technology and raised questions about future contingency plans.
Flight Cancellations and Delays By late Friday morning, more than 1,600 flights originating in the United States had been canceled, and over 3,800 were canceled globally. Delta Air Lines faced the most cancellations with over 760, followed by American Airlines with more than 380, and United Airlines with over 350. Several airlines, including Delta, United, American, and Spirit, issued flight waivers due to the tech outage.
Over 5,000 flights experienced delays within, into, or out of the U.S., affecting airports worldwide, including those in China, France, and the Netherlands, according to FlightAware.
Response from Airlines and Authorities The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated on X that several airlines had requested assistance with ground stops and confirmed that they were closely monitoring the technical issue. Delta Air Lines resumed some flights after addressing the vendor technology issue that impacted airlines globally. Both American and United Airlines also resumed operations but warned that many customers might still experience delays as they worked to fully restore their systems.
Cause of the Outage The disruptions started when a cybersecurity firm, CrowdStrike, deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows, as reported by The Associated Press. A Microsoft spokesperson stated that the company was actively supporting customers in their recovery efforts. Passenger Rights and Guidance Following the disruptions, the Department of Transportation (DOT) urged passengers to know their rights regarding cancellations and delays.
The DOT reminded travelers that they are entitled to a refund for canceled or significantly delayed flights under a new rule effective October 28. The DOT’s statement on X emphasized using FlightRights.gov to understand airline responsibilities.
Impact on Airlines Globally Frontier Airlines confirmed that the outage forced them to temporarily ground their flights. IndiGo, one of India’s leading airlines, also acknowledged that their operations were compromised due to the Microsoft Azure outage. SpiceJet faced challenges in communicating flight disruptions, although they did not specify the outage source.
Global Aviation Sector Impact The aviation sector, highly sensitive to precise timings, was particularly hard-hit. In the U.S.
, major airlines like American, United, and Delta initiated ground stops early, causing widespread cancellations and delays. By 12 p.m.
ET, FlightAware reported over 2,000 flights canceled and more than 5,300 delays. The Department of Transportation labeled the situation as “controllable,” holding airlines accountable for adhering to their customer service commitments. Operational Disturbances in India Major Indian airports, including Hyderabad and Bengaluru, encountered operational disturbances.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport issued a warning, advising travelers across India to consult their airlines for detailed information regarding their flights..
