Global Travel Chaos as IT Outage Disrupts Air Travel

Air travelers experienced significant delays and cancellations due to a global IT outage affecting multiple industries. Confusion was rampant as airlines switched to manual processes. The issue, linked to a Microsoft software glitch, impacted flights across Europe, Asia, and the U.S. Compensation questions remained unresolved.

Air passengers worldwide encountered major delays and cancellations as a massive IT outage disrupted operations, affecting industries from banking to media. Some airlines and airports have resumed services, with the U.S. government hopeful that normal operations will be restored by Saturday.

Out of over 110,000 scheduled commercial flights on Friday, 2,691 were cancelled globally, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. In Edinburgh, an offline server message halted boarding, while other airports advised travelers to check flight statuses or arrive early.

The outage, likely tied to a Microsoft software glitch, particularly hindered the aviation sector, which relies on strict schedules. Manual check-ins were reported at several airports. Cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike is working with affected customers, noting a defect in a Microsoft Windows update. Chaos prevailed, especially during Europe’s peak travel period.