The travel sector is reeling from a global IT outage that has caused widespread disruptions. Flights across the US, Europe, and the UK have been delayed or cancelled, creating chaos at numerous international transport hubs.
Frontier Airlines grounded its flights for over two hours, attributing the disruption to issues with Microsoft’s online services. In the US, major carriers like American Airlines, United, and Delta have requested a global halt on flights from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Ryanair has advised passengers to arrive an hour earlier than usual, while Manchester Airport’s ground teams have resorted to manual operations. Berlin Brandenburg Airport has reportedly grounded all flights after warning of delays due to technical issues.
India’s low-cost carrier IndiGo has also been affected by ongoing problems with Microsoft Azure, impacting customers’ access to boarding passes and flight operations.
Gatwick Airport is operating on backup systems but remains open. The airport noted, “This is a global Microsoft issue affecting some airlines’ check-in systems, baggage, and security, including eGates.”
Images of large crowds facing severe delays at Brussels’ Charleroi Airport have surfaced, and KLM has suspended most of its operations, citing the impossibility of flight handling under current conditions. Amadeus, which manages baggage at Heathrow, confirmed it is also affected.
European airports have turned to using whiteboards and markers to update travellers on their flights.
In the US capital, subway services have been hit, with Metro Forward’s internal systems down and their website inaccessible. In London, staff at Waterloo are manually scanning tickets.
Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association (BTA), commented, “The worldwide IT issues are having a significant impact on global travel. Our travel management companies are working tirelessly to arrange new travel plans and reassure stranded passengers. We will continue collaborating with airlines, airports, and train companies as the situation evolves.”