Airport Outage: Fixed Or Not?

A global IT outage caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted flights, media outlets, hospitals, and banks worldwide. The issue affected computers running Microsoft Windows, causing airlines like Delta, American, and United to ground flights and implement ground stops. Heathrow Airport in London, a major global hub, also faced a power outage due to a fire, compounding the travel chaos. While the fire was brought under control, the impact on travel was significant, with some passengers cancelling their trips altogether. Heathrow resumed operations gradually, but the incident highlighted the need for more robust backup systems to prevent similar disruptions in the future.

Affected industries: airlines, rail travel, hotels, banks, medical facilities, and theme parks

Affected Industries

Airlines

The CrowdStrike IT outage has had a significant impact on the airline industry, causing widespread delays and cancellations of flights across numerous regions. Airports in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago were among those affected, leading to disruptions in both domestic and international travel. The incident has highlighted the industry's heavy reliance on technology and the urgent need for more resilient IT systems. Airlines have been working to address the immediate issues, manage stranded travelers, and provide refunds, waivers, and vouchers to affected customers.

Rail Travel

While there is no specific information on the impact of the CrowdStrike IT outage on rail travel, it is likely that disruptions in other industries, such as airlines and banks, could have had indirect effects on rail services. Delays and cancellations in air travel may have led to increased demand for alternative modes of transport, including rail.

Hotels

Hotels have been mentioned in relation to power outages caused by storms. During power outages, hotels are sought as alternative accommodations by those whose homes have lost electricity. However, in some cases, hotels themselves have also experienced power outages, leading to issues with bookings and refunds.

Banks

The CrowdStrike IT outage has impacted banks, causing disruptions in their operations.

Medical Facilities

There is no specific information on the impact of the CrowdStrike IT outage on medical facilities. However, it is possible that disruptions in other industries, such as banks and IT systems in general, could have had some indirect effects on medical services, particularly those that rely heavily on digital systems.

Theme Parks

Theme parks, including Disney and Universal Studios, have been disrupted by the mass IT outage. Display screens at Disneyland Paris went blank, and Universal Studios Japan suspended in-person ticket sales. The outage occurred during the peak of the summer tourist season, affecting operations and causing inconvenience to visitors.

Airlines grounded: American, Delta, and United

On July 19, 2024, Delta, United, and American Airlines were among several major US airlines that were forced to ground flights due to a global IT outage. The issue was caused by a third-party software outage that impacted computer systems worldwide, including those used by airlines. As a result, thousands of flights were delayed or canceled, affecting travelers across the United States and around the world.

American Airlines was one of the first carriers to report issues, with an infamous ""blue screen of death" appearing on one of its kiosks at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Soon after, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines also reported problems, with Delta leading the way among US carriers with more than 1,200 cancellations between its mainline and regional flights. Despite resuming flying around 8:00 a.m. EDT, Delta anticipated disruptions to continue into the weekend.

In a statement, United Airlines acknowledged the issue, stating, "A third-party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United. While we work to restore those systems, we are holding all aircraft at their departure airports. Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations." Similarly, American Airlines also released a statement at 2:00 a.m. on Friday, confirming that they had resolved the issue and were back up and running as normal.

The ground stops and delays impacted all flights from the affected airlines, regardless of their destination. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closely monitored the situation, providing updates and assistance to the airlines. While the ground stops were necessary to ensure safety and resolve the technical issues, they caused significant disruptions and inconvenienced many travelers.

The IT outage extended beyond airlines, affecting various industries and critical systems worldwide. Banks, hotels, rail operators, and even medical facilities experienced disruptions. The issue also impacted mass transit in New York and Washington, DC, banking services in several countries, and theme parks like Hong Kong Disneyland.

TSA and Federal Aviation Administration unaffected

A global IT outage has caused travel disruption, with flight cancellations and delays affecting airlines and airports worldwide. The issue, which presented as an infamous "blue screen of death" on an American Airlines kiosk, has impacted a wide range of industries, including banks, hotels, and rail operators. Despite the challenges faced by airlines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have remained largely unaffected.

At the time of the outage, a TSA spokesperson stated that "TSA is monitoring the IT system issues throughout the transportation system in partnership with stakeholders and other agencies. There has not been any impact on TSA operations." This is significant, especially considering that the busiest days for travel have been on Fridays since Memorial Day weekend.

Similarly, while the FAA experienced a system outage related to its Notice to Air Missions system, which is critical for communicating with pilots about taxiway and runway operations, it did not suffer major disruptions. Control towers and other critical air traffic systems were functioning normally. According to the FAA, "Ground stops and delays will be intermittent at various airports as airlines work through residual technology issues."

The Humboldt County Airport was also mostly unaffected by the FAA outage, with only one minor delay linked to the issue. The airport has a microgrid system that has allowed it to maintain power during recent weather events and power outages, enabling it to continue operations.

Cause of outage: faulty software update

On January 16, 2025, a global tech outage disrupted flights at airlines and airports worldwide. The cause of this outage was a faulty software update issued by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which affected computers running Microsoft Windows. This led to significant travel disruptions, with airlines warning of potential problems lasting through the weekend.

The impact of the faulty software update was widespread, affecting not only the aviation industry but also other critical systems such as banks and medical facilities. For instance, Bradesco, one of the main banks in Brazil, reported unstable digital services due to the global cyber outage. Additionally, Azul Airlines, a Brazilian low-cost carrier, experienced occasional flight delays due to issues with their check-in systems. The disruption also extended to healthcare, with the Boston-based health system Mass General Brigham canceling all non-urgent care visits as they lost access to clinical systems, including patient health records and scheduling.

The problem specifically affected computers running Microsoft Windows, causing an infamous "blue screen of death" on an American Airlines kiosk at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). This led to ground stops and flight cancellations by major airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Delta Air Lines, in particular, experienced more than 1,200 cancellations between its mainline and regional flights.

While the faulty software update caused significant disruption, it is important to note that not all airports or airlines were affected in the same way. For example, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that their checkpoints and operations were not impacted by the outage. Similarly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that their control towers and critical air traffic systems were functioning normally, although they did advise that ground stops and delays would be intermittent as airlines worked through residual technology issues.

Heathrow resumes flights after fire

Heathrow Airport in London has resumed flights after a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a power outage that shut down operations at one of Europe's busiest air hubs. The airport was closed for most of Friday, forcing the cancellation or diversion of over 1,000 flights and disrupting the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

The first plane to touch down at Heathrow after the resumption of operations was a British Airways jet from nearby Gatwick Airport, landing at about 6 pm on Friday. This was followed by the departure of two long-haul flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Town, South Africa, among eight such flights that British Airways said would leave on Friday night.

The fire broke out on Thursday night at the North Hyde Electricity Substation in Hayes, west London, which is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the airport. The substation held 25,000 liters of cooling oil (more than 6,600 gallons), fueling the large blaze and making it difficult to extinguish. The London Fire Brigade brought the fire under control after seven hours, but the airport remained shut for almost 18 hours.

Heathrow's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, apologized for the shutdown and acknowledged the unprecedented disruption caused by the fire. He also stated that the airport's backup systems had worked as expected but were not designed to run a full operation. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, and the Metropolitan Police confirmed that there were no indications of foul play in the cause of the fire. However, counterterrorism specialists are leading the investigation due to the significant impact on Britain's largest airport.

Frequently asked questions