2,600 US flights are canceled as a global computer outage wreaks havoc on businesses, 911 systems and government agencies
Thousands of US flights were grounded Friday as a technical disaster plagued government agencies and businesses worldwide – leading to countless stranded passengers, canceled medical procedures and disrupted 911 services.
On Friday, a significant technical failure grounded thousands of flights across the United States, affecting government agencies and businesses globally. This crisis resulted in numerous travelers being stranded, medical procedures being canceled, and emergency services facing disruptions. A cybersecurity firm has stated that the incident was “not a security breach or cyberattack.” However, this technical mess has had widespread repercussions, impacting airlines, banks, state agencies, and emergency services around the world.
By Friday afternoon, over 2,600 flights to, from, or within the U.S. had been canceled, and 9,000 were delayed, according to FlightAware.com. At Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, officials advised passengers to avoid the airport unless they had confirmed flights. In Atlanta, the world's busiest airport, travelers like Ty Kelley found themselves in tough situations, trying to reach urgent events. “I have a funeral tomorrow afternoon and my sister’s 50th birthday party on Sunday,” Kelley shared, expressing frustration over the travel chaos. “It’s really chaotic. It’s frustrating. I've never experienced anything like this."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it was closely monitoring a technical issue affecting IT systems at several U.S. airlines, with multiple airlines requesting FAA assistance for ground stops until the problems were resolved. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm with Microsoft among its clientele, confirmed that it was addressing an issue arising from a flawed update for Windows hosts, clarifying that “this is not a security incident or cyberattack." CEO George Kurtz indicated on NBC that while the situation was being resolved, it might take time for some systems to fully recover.
Microsoft acknowledged the situation, stating that issues began following a CrowdStrike update that impacted IT systems on a global scale. The company's CEO, Satya Nadella, stressed that they are collaborating with CrowdStrike and industry partners to provide technical guidance for restoring systems safely.
Several major airlines were affected:
- Delta Air Lines paused its flights due to a vendor technology issue but later resumed some operations, offering apologies and waivers to affected customers.
- JetBlue reported no widespread delays or cancellations but advised passengers to monitor their flight status.
- American Airlines indicated it had resolved the issue impacting its operations.
- Spirit Airlines announced that its reservation system was affected, while Southwest Airlines reported no disruptions.
- United Airlines resumed some flights and advised travelers to expect possible delays.
The technical issues also extended to hospitals and federal agencies, prompting urgent countermeasures. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital reported disruptions to its Microsoft-based systems but assured efforts were underway to minimize the impact on patient care. Other facilities, such as Harris Health System in Houston and Mass General Brigham in Boston, had to cancel non-urgent procedures and surgeries, focusing on urgent patient care.
Blood donation services also faced challenges due to flight disruptions, with organizations like Blood Assurance and the New York Blood Center adapting their delivery methods in response to logistical setbacks. The American Red Cross confirmed it was not impacted by the IT outage, as it does not use CrowdStrike software.
In Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration due to the impact on city services reliant on Microsoft operating systems, while 911 services were also affected in various locations. In particular, Alaska saw significant issues with both emergency and non-emergency call centers, though services were eventually restored. Similar outages were reported in other states, with many driver services halting operations due to the global technical failures.
As frustrated travelers crowded airports such as in Philadelphia and Atlanta, sentiments of confusion and frustration were common. Many faced long waits and uncertainties about their flights, with some resorting to manual check-in processes due to system failures.
This story is still developing, and updates will follow as new information becomes available.
By Friday afternoon, over 2,600 flights to, from, or within the U.S. had been canceled, and 9,000 were delayed, according to FlightAware.com. At Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, officials advised passengers to avoid the airport unless they had confirmed flights. In Atlanta, the world's busiest airport, travelers like Ty Kelley found themselves in tough situations, trying to reach urgent events. “I have a funeral tomorrow afternoon and my sister’s 50th birthday party on Sunday,” Kelley shared, expressing frustration over the travel chaos. “It’s really chaotic. It’s frustrating. I've never experienced anything like this."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it was closely monitoring a technical issue affecting IT systems at several U.S. airlines, with multiple airlines requesting FAA assistance for ground stops until the problems were resolved. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm with Microsoft among its clientele, confirmed that it was addressing an issue arising from a flawed update for Windows hosts, clarifying that “this is not a security incident or cyberattack." CEO George Kurtz indicated on NBC that while the situation was being resolved, it might take time for some systems to fully recover.
Microsoft acknowledged the situation, stating that issues began following a CrowdStrike update that impacted IT systems on a global scale. The company's CEO, Satya Nadella, stressed that they are collaborating with CrowdStrike and industry partners to provide technical guidance for restoring systems safely.
Several major airlines were affected:
- Delta Air Lines paused its flights due to a vendor technology issue but later resumed some operations, offering apologies and waivers to affected customers.
- JetBlue reported no widespread delays or cancellations but advised passengers to monitor their flight status.
- American Airlines indicated it had resolved the issue impacting its operations.
- Spirit Airlines announced that its reservation system was affected, while Southwest Airlines reported no disruptions.
- United Airlines resumed some flights and advised travelers to expect possible delays.
The technical issues also extended to hospitals and federal agencies, prompting urgent countermeasures. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital reported disruptions to its Microsoft-based systems but assured efforts were underway to minimize the impact on patient care. Other facilities, such as Harris Health System in Houston and Mass General Brigham in Boston, had to cancel non-urgent procedures and surgeries, focusing on urgent patient care.
Blood donation services also faced challenges due to flight disruptions, with organizations like Blood Assurance and the New York Blood Center adapting their delivery methods in response to logistical setbacks. The American Red Cross confirmed it was not impacted by the IT outage, as it does not use CrowdStrike software.
In Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration due to the impact on city services reliant on Microsoft operating systems, while 911 services were also affected in various locations. In particular, Alaska saw significant issues with both emergency and non-emergency call centers, though services were eventually restored. Similar outages were reported in other states, with many driver services halting operations due to the global technical failures.
As frustrated travelers crowded airports such as in Philadelphia and Atlanta, sentiments of confusion and frustration were common. Many faced long waits and uncertainties about their flights, with some resorting to manual check-in processes due to system failures.
This story is still developing, and updates will follow as new information becomes available.