Massive IT outages on Friday caused widespread disruptions to flights across the UK, and these delays and cancellations are expected to continue through the weekend. Although airports report that their systems are back online, they still advise passengers to check for updates before traveling. The outages occurred on one of the busiest travel days of the year as schools in England and Wales started summer breaks.
The disruptions weren’t limited to airports; GPs, pharmacies, banks, payment systems, and train services were also affected. The problem was traced to a faulty software update for Microsoft Windows issued by the cyber-security firm Crowdstrike.
London Gatwick Airport confirmed their systems are “operating as normal,” but delays and cancellations may persist. Similarly, Manchester Airport’s check-in systems are back, but flight schedules remain uncertain. Belfast International Airport advises passengers to stay in touch with their airlines for updates.
By Friday evening, 338 flights in and out of the UK had been canceled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Many passengers are stranded and frustrated, with travel correspondent Simon Calder describing the situation as “horrible.”
The outages had a ripple effect beyond aviation, disrupting card payments at retailers like Morrisons and Waitrose and briefly taking Sky News off the air. GPs and pharmacies faced issues accessing their records and prescription services.
Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz apologized for the inconvenience and assured customers that the outages were not due to a security breach or cyber attack. He committed to providing full transparency on the issue and preventing future occurrences.
For more details, refer to the BBC’s coverage of this story.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c903vw4zp2eo