- A global IT outage that occurred on Friday is still wreaking havoc on air travel, causing widespread flight cancellations and delays.
- Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike blamed the global technology outage on a flawed Microsoft Windows Host update.
- Airlines are doing all they can to provide more flexibility to those affected by the outages.
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Bailey Bardrick’s trip isn’t going according to plan. In fact, it may not go at all.
Airlines are continuing to deal with the impact of a global IT outage on Friday, with thousands of flights cancelled or delayed.
In Bardrick’s case, her connecting flight from Northwest Arkansas to Atlanta was canceled, meaning she could not make her connecting flights to Honolulu and Tokyo.
“I couldn’t even get through security and the app said it was cancelled,” she told USA Today, adding that she still doesn’t know when she’ll be able to leave.
“We’ve spent thousands of dollars on this trip, we’ve been planning it for a while, and it’s frustrating not having any idea when our next flight will be,” she said.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, several U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, grounded all flights early Friday due to communications issues, which set off a domino effect that continued through Saturday.
More than 1,600 flights were canceled and more than 4,900 were delayed as of 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were the hardest hit, with 821 and 379 flights canceled, respectively. Endeavor Air, Delta’s wholly-owned regional subsidiary, also saw numerous cancellations.
Airlines rely on complex systems.Why CrowdStrike outages cause days of disruption
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike blamed the global technology outage on a flawed Microsoft Windows Host update.
“Today was not a security or cyber incident, and our customers are fully protected,” CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz posted on X on Friday. “We understand the gravity of the situation and deeply apologize for any inconvenience and trouble caused. We are working with all affected customers to get their systems back up and running and provide the service they expect. As previously mentioned, the issue has been identified and a fix has been deployed. There was an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows hosts.”
The aviation industry has been hit especially hard because of its time-sensitivity. Airlines rely on tightly coordinated schedules run by air traffic control authorities. A single delay of just a few minutes can upset airport and airline flight schedules for the rest of the day.
“This issue affected many separate systems, including aircraft weight calculations, customer check-in and call center phone systems,” United Airlines said in a statement on Friday. “After suspending all departing flights overnight, flights resumed Friday morning and we are working hard to get customers to their destinations.”
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Are flights still grounded? How long will flight delays last?
The FAA plans to issue ground suspensions and other precautionary flight control measures as necessary, but most of Saturday’s cancellations and delays are likely the result of airline crew or equipment problems.
“The aviation industry has so few planes, and once an airplane is out of position, it’s impossible to operate normally because the airplane is not in a position to fly the route it’s supposed to,” John Haas, a professor of cyber intelligence and security at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, told USA Today. “It’s not just software anymore, it’s the entire system.”
Travelers are encouraged to contact their airline and check the FAA website for the latest information.
How to find out why your flight is delayed
While customers can ask airlines why their flights were cancelled or delayed, the Department for Transport confirmed that airlines consider any delays and cancellations caused by Friday’s IT outage to be “controllable.” Airlines may say they weren’t responsible for the computer error, but that means the Department for Transport holds them accountable for honouring promises they’ve made to customers about policies such as rebookings and hotel and meal vouchers until the chaos is over. All airline policies are outlined on the Department for Transport’s customer service dashboard.
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics also tracks the causes of delays and cancellations.
Airline exemptions
Airlines are doing all they can to provide more flexibility to those affected by the outages.
- delta “Our operations will continue to recover on Saturday,” the airline said in a statement, and all passengers travelling on Friday have been given permission to rebook their flights.
- United United Airlines has issued waivers for some airports to allow passengers to change their flights if theirs is affected, but a United Airlines spokesperson told USA Today that nearly all of the airline’s flights depart or arrive at one of the waived airports.
- spirit The airline issued waivers allowing customers who were scheduled to fly through any airport in its network on Friday or Saturday to change their flights at no extra cost.
What happens if my flight is cancelled?
Department of Transport regulations require all airlines to refund customers if a flight is canceled for any reason, but customers may be entitled to additional compensation if the cancellation is within the airline’s control.
What should I do if my flight is delayed?
If your flight is delayed for a long time, the Department of Transport recommends asking airline staff if they will pay for your meals and hotel bills.
While the DOT dashboard reflects an airline’s official policy, many airlines handle compensation for delays on a case-by-case basis and may offer vouchers or other benefits in situations that aren’t officially covered.
What is a significant flight delay?
Different airlines have different definitions of significant delays, but the DOT dashboard identifies airlines that offer compensation for controllable delays of three hours or more.
For example, all major U.S. airlines are now offering meal vouchers for flights that are delayed by at least three hours for reasons within their control. Additionally, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines offer credits or travel vouchers when a controllable delay “causes passengers to wait more than three hours from the scheduled departure time,” according to the dashboard.
How to apply for compensation for a delayed flight
Travelers seeking financial compensation for delayed flights must file a claim with their respective airlines. Passengers seeking other types of compensation, such as frequent flyer miles, may be able to file a claim through the airline’s customer service.
