Sachin Walls
A defective software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a global IT outage, affecting millions of Windows systems worldwide. This led to significant disruptions in Microsoft's cloud services, causing flight cancellations and delays across the globe. The complex systems that manage airport operations were affected, and over 4,000 flights were cancelled and 35,500 delayed. Major airports impacted included Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Zurich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, and Singapore Changi Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Outage | 19 July 2024 |
| Number of Devices Affected | 8.5 million |
| Airlines Affected | Delta, United, American Airlines, KLM, Porter Airlines, Air Asia, Spirit Airlines, Akasa Airlines |
| Airports Affected | Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Zurich Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Don Mueang International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Belfast International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Delhi, Mumbai, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru |
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What You'll Learn
Hong Kong International Airport
The CrowdStrike outage highlighted the complex and interconnected nature of the systems that support the aviation industry. Airports rely on efficient and optimized systems to keep operations running smoothly. However, when one part of the system fails, such as the computers used for check-in, the entire industry can be significantly impacted.
Additionally, the outage affected not just the airlines but also the various businesses that help get planes in the air. Unifi Aviation, one of the largest ground handling companies in the US, experienced system failures that impacted their ability to manage gate agents, cabin cleaners, and ramp baggage handlers effectively. This added to the challenges faced by the airlines in resuming normal operations.
The Hong Kong authorities expressed deep concern over the IT outage, which not only disrupted businesses worldwide but also caused chaos in the city's air services. The Deputy Chief Secretary, Warner Cheuk Wing-hing, was tasked with monitoring the situation and ensuring that government departments were prepared to respond promptly to any further developments.
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Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru
On July 19, 2024, a defective CrowdStrike update caused computers around the world to go into a reboot spiral, affecting critical operations. This included the aviation industry, with thousands of flights grounded and delayed worldwide.
Kempegowda International Airport, formerly known as Bengaluru International Airport, was one of the airports affected by the CrowdStrike outage. The airport, owned and operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), is a major hub for airlines such as IndiGo, which had to cancel 26 flights due to the outage. The airport took to social media to inform passengers of the ongoing issue, stating that the affected airlines were taking proactive measures to minimise disruption.
The CrowdStrike outage highlighted the complex and optimised nature of the aviation industry. When such systems fail, the entire industry can be significantly impacted, as seen with the Kempegowda International Airport disruption. The airport's response included manually checking in passengers and advising them to arrive early.
The impact of the CrowdStrike outage extended beyond the aviation industry, affecting hospitals, banks, and media outlets. It resulted in legal fallout for CrowdStrike, with a lawsuit alleging misleading statements about software testing procedures, leading to a decline in the company's share price.
Kempegowda International Airport has since recovered from the CrowdStrike outage, continuing to serve as a significant aviation hub in India, with recent expansions enhancing its capacity and connectivity.
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Liverpool John Lennon Airport
The airport consists of a single passenger terminal, three general-use hangars, a FedEx Express courier service centre, and a single runway measuring 7,500 feet in length. The control tower is located south of the runway. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is within Merseytravel Area C for local public transport tickets, and it is accessible by bus and car via multiple routes.
In terms of operations, the airport offers scheduled domestic, European, North African, and Middle Eastern services. Between 1997 and 2007, annual passenger numbers increased significantly from 689,468 to 5.47 million. The airport handled 4.19 million passengers in 2023, making it the 12th busiest airport in the UK.
In 2007, Liverpool John Lennon Airport commenced its first transatlantic air service to Hamilton, 50 miles from Toronto, and later that year, to New York City. However, these flights ended in October 2007 due to technical issues, delays, and low passenger numbers.
On July 19, 2024, a defective software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a global IT outage, affecting computers running Microsoft Windows. This included systems used by airlines and airports worldwide, leading to significant disruptions and cancellations. Liverpool John Lennon Airport was among the airports impacted, resorting to manual passenger check-ins and requesting fliers to arrive well in advance.
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Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, so when hundreds of flights were cancelled and delayed on Friday, 19 July 2024, it caused chaos for thousands of passengers. The airport was affected by a global IT outage caused by a faulty update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which impacted computers running Microsoft Windows.
Although Hartsfield-Jackson's systems were not directly impacted by the CrowdStrike outage, several of its airline partners were, including Delta Air Lines, which is based in Atlanta. Delta customers reported cancelled flights and lost luggage, with long lines at the bag help area. Delta extended travel waivers as cancellations and delays continued over the weekend, with travellers reporting hundreds of problems.
The airport implemented its 24-hour concessions crisis plan, providing assistance and guidance to passengers and creating space for luggage reunification areas. However, frustrated passengers reported having to wait up to an hour and a half to reclaim their luggage from cancelled flights.
The CrowdStrike outage also impacted businesses and agencies across metro Atlanta, including hospitals in the area.
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Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton airports
At Heathrow Airport, long queues were reported at check-in due to the system failure. Heathrow Airport connects to Gatwick Airport through various transport options, including National Express and Flixbus coaches, as well as the Gatwick Express for non-stop travel between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
Gatwick Airport also experienced significant disruption, with passengers reporting lengthy queues of over three and a half hours. To ease the situation, some airlines implemented manual check-ins for specific flights.
Luton Airport was another impacted site, with operations continuing through manual systems. The airport advised passengers to check with their airlines for flight updates and prepared for potential delays by deploying additional staff to support the manual processes.
The CrowdStrike outage caused widespread chaos in the aviation industry, with thousands of flights grounded and significant delays worldwide. It highlighted the intricate interconnectedness of the industry, where a single point of failure can have cascading effects on the entire system.
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Frequently asked questions
Multiple airports were affected by the CrowdStrike outage, including:
- Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Zurich Airport
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
- Heathrow Airport
- Gatwick Airport
- Luton Airport
- Belfast International Airport
- Singapore Changi Airport
- Delhi and Mumbai airports
- Hong Kong International Airport
- Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
- Liverpool's John Lennon Airport
The CrowdStrike outage was caused by a defective update to its "Falcon" cybersecurity software for Windows hosts.
Microsoft estimated that approximately 8.5 million Windows devices were directly affected by the CrowdStrike outage.
The CrowdStrike outage occurred on July 19, 2024.
