Global IT outage hits banks, airlines, media outlets

New Delhi, July 19: Many flights have been grounded, with queues and delays at scattered airports globally, A widespread IT outage has affected a multitude of global institutions, including major banks, media outlets, airlines, and emergency services. The incident has sparked chaos across various sectors, with significant disruptions reported in the US, UK, Australia, and several other countries, BBC and several international media reported.

Impact in India - Disrupts Indian Airline Check-Ins, Causes Long Queues

A global outage of Microsoft's Azure services has disrupted check-in systems for several Indian airlines, including IndiGo, Akasa, and SpiceJet, since 10:45 am on Friday. This technical issue has led to slower processes and long queues at airports, affecting passengers and staff alike. However, industry sources have reported that other airlines, such as the Air India Group, have not been impacted so far, The Times of India reported.

IndiGo, India's largest airline by passenger carriage, addressed the situation on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Our systems across the network are impacted by an ongoing issue with Microsoft Azure, which has resulted in increased wait times at our contact centres and airports. You may experience slower check-ins and longer queues. We are all hands on deck and working relentlessly to restore stability and normalcy. Our digital team is also coordinating closely with Microsoft Azure to solve these issues swiftly.”

Akasa issued a statement saying: “Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services, will be temporarily unavailable. Currently, we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence request passengers with immediate travel plans to reach the airport early to check-in at our counters. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and want to assure you that our teams are working with our service provider to resolve the same at the earliest.”

SpiceJet also communicated with its passengers, stating: “We are currently experiencing technical challenges with our service provider, affecting online services including booking, check-in, and manage booking functionalities. As a result, we have activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports. We kindly request passengers with upcoming travel plans to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to complete check-in at our counters. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause and assure you that our teams are diligently working with our service provider to resolve these issues promptly. Thank you for your patience and co-operation during this time.”

Adani Airports has reported that a global IT outage is impacting operations and flights nationwide. In a statement, the company said: “A global IT outage has affected operations, impacting flights nationwide. During this time, booking, check-in, access to boarding passes, and flights are likely to be impacted. We are collaborating with airlines to manage operations and minimise delays. Please reach out to your respective airlines for information. Thank you for your patience.” Adani manages airports in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Air India Express also commented on the situation, saying: “Digital infrastructure issues have temporarily impacted online and airport operations across multiple airlines and airports globally. Please plan your travel and keep sufficient time in hand for airport procedures. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.”

Airports are experiencing significant disruptions due to this outage, with long queues forming as manual processes take over from automated systems. Airlines are working tirelessly to manage the situation and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

Impacts in the United States and the United Kingdom

In the United States, the state of Alaska has reported that its emergency services have been affected, with numerous 911 and non-emergency call centres not working properly. Similarly, the London Stock Exchange has been impacted by the outage, causing significant disruptions in financial operations.

Australia Hit Hard

Australia has experienced particularly severe effects. Flights have been grounded at major airports, and supermarkets have faced checkout chaos. Broadcast networks have struggled on air as autocue, graphics, and computer systems failed. At Sydney Airport, information disappeared from departure boards, and budget carrier Jetstar announced it was unable to check in passengers or board its flights due to issues with Microsoft systems. Virgin Australia also reported a "complete ground stop" of flights. Additionally, social media users have reported long queues at stores like Woolworths, where payment systems were down reported BBC.

Train Companies and Airports Affected

Train companies, particularly in the UK, have also been impacted. Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and Great Northern brands, warned passengers to expect disruptions due to "widespread IT issues." The company reported difficulties in accessing driver diagrams and real-time customer information platforms, leading to potential short-notice cancellations.

Berlin airport and all airports in Spain have reported technical issues causing delays in check-ins. The Spanish airport operator assured that operations are continuing with manual systems while efforts to resolve the issue are underway.

Sky News, a major television news channel in the UK, was unable to broadcast live on Friday morning. The network’s executive chairman David Rhodes apologized to viewers for the interruption, saying many news reports are still available online.

Cause of the Outage

The cause of the outage remains unclear. Many of those affected have linked it to Microsoft PC operating systems. However, a Microsoft spokesperson stated that "the majority of services were recovered earlier" in the day. Australia's Home Affairs Ministry suggested that the outage might be related to a technical issue at global cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. The country's cybersecurity watchdog stated there is no information to suggest it was an attack. They emphasized that the outage appears to be a technical issue with a third-party software platform used by affected companies.

Microsoft's Response

Microsoft reported that its outage began at about 18:00 ET (0000 BST) on Thursday and has taken "mitigation actions" to address service issues. The company is investigating problems with cloud services in the US and several of its apps and services.

Meanwhile, investigations continue and affected institutions and companies are working to restore normal operations. The global IT outage highlights the interconnected nature of modern technological systems and the widespread impact that technical failures can have across multiple sectors and regions.