On July 19, 2024, a massive IT outage shook the global air travel system. The issue started with a software update from CrowdStrike, a big cybersecurity firm.
This caused problems for many companies, especially airlines using Microsoft’s software.As a result, many travelers faced long delays and cancellations.
Over 5,000 flights were canceled out of 110,000 scheduled flights. Delta Air Lines had the worst impact, canceling 20% of its flights. Other airlines like Ryanair, United, and Air India also saw delays.
Passengers at airports struggled with the failure of check-in systems. Some had to use handwritten boarding passes. In Madrid, travelers were confused and had to wait in long lines.
At New Delhi’s airport, staff used whiteboards for flight information due to the system outage.U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentioned that things should get back to normal soon.
Delta and other airlines are working hard to fix the issues. United Airlines had problems with systems used for checking aircraft weight and check-ins.
In Europe, airlines must compensate passengers for delays over three hours. It’s not clear if this outage will count for compensation. In the U.S., compensation rules are less strict, and it’s uncertain if passengers will get anything.
