Global IT outage grounds thousands of flights
Over 2,300 flights have been cancelled globally, with more than 23,000 experiencing delays just today alone, according to Flight Aware.
Many of these may be due to a widespread IT outage affecting major airlines and airports.
The disruption stems from technical issues impacting Microsoft and cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, which have cascaded through various sectors including aviation, banking, and healthcare.
In the United States alone, more than 1,300 flights have been cancelled and over 3,200 delayed.
Major carriers such as United, American, Delta, and Allegiant have experienced groundings across multiple airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that these issues are related to access problems with Microsoft 365 apps and services.
The impact extends beyond U.S. borders. Japan’s Narita Airport has reported system issues affecting airlines including JetStar, Jeju Air, Qantas, HK Express, and Spring Japan. In India, Delhi Airport has confirmed temporary service disruptions. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is also experiencing delays due to the IT outage.
The FAA has issued a statement this morning saying, “We are closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved.”
In the Caribbean, Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten has also reported flight disruptions.
While the total number of affected flights is significant, it’s important to note that not all of these disruptions may be directly attributed to the IT outage.