Global IT outage causes airports to be filled with long lines and broken blue screens due to cancellations and delays

“Global IT Outage Causes Chaos at Airports Worldwide”

Massive IT Outage Causes Chaos at Airports Worldwide

Airports around the world were plunged into chaos early Friday morning as a widespread IT outage caused ground stops and flight delays impacting thousands of travelers.

Major airports such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Los Angeles International Airport experienced long lines, crowded gates, and agitated passengers as monitors displaying flight departure times were replaced with malfunctioning blue screens.

According to FlightAware data, more than 3,800 flights were delayed within, to, or out of the United States, with over 1,400 flights canceled. Globally, there were over 25,000 delays and more than 2,500 cancellations reported.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, the largest carriers in the U.S., all issued ground stops early Friday due to the technical issues.

The Federal Aviation Administration assured that air traffic control systems were not affected by the outage, which was caused by an IT glitch related to the Microsoft cloud. Microsoft stated that the underlying cause was fixed, but some residual impacts were still affecting Microsoft 365 apps and services.

Passengers at airports such as Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Tampa International Airport were left frustrated and uncertain as they faced significant delays and cancellations. Some travelers described the scenes as pure chaos, with limited information provided and kiosks failing to update passengers.

The disruption also extended to international airports, with Paris, Spain, Canada, and the Netherlands reporting flight cancellations and delays due to the global IT incident.

As passengers continue to navigate the aftermath of the IT outage, airlines and airports are working to restore systems and resume normal operations. Despite the challenges, travelers like Colby Black at JFK Airport remained resilient, acknowledging the unpredictability of air travel and maintaining a sense of patience amidst the disruptions.

Overall, the IT outage serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of global systems and the potential impact of technical failures on critical infrastructure. Travelers are advised to stay informed and patient as airports work to resolve the issues and return to normal operations.

Scroll to Top