SUMMER holidays have been ruined with thousands of flights cancelled as Microsoft’s meltdown sparked chaos world wide.
In what has been branded the “largest IT outage in history”, major airport, airline, railway and supermarket services across the globe have been crippled by the CrowdStrike issue.
GettyTravel chaos and lengthy queues sparked at Gatwick Airport this morning[/caption]
Deli Airport has been experiencing issues with their flight information boards
Belfast International Airport has gone ‘old school’ since the crash as flight information is displayed on whiteboards
TwitterManchester Airport is also using whiteboards to display information[/caption]
AFPTravellers in Sydney had to wait hours after the global IT outage caused mass disruption[/caption]
More than 100 planes had to be grounded in the UK because of the Microsoft outage, while over 3,300 were cancelled globally.
Television channels, banks, GPs and supermarkets around the world have been rocked by the chaos.
Shops in Australia either had to shut down or go cash only after digital checkouts stopped working.
In the US, emergency services lines went down in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Ohio.
The UK’s top officials met for an emergency Cobra meeting earlier today.
How the tech crisis was caused
By Ashley Armstrong, Business Editor
A minor tech tweak has been blamed for the world’s biggest IT outage.
Experts have warned that yesterday’s disaster highlights how reliant modern society is on technology and how vulnerable it is to glitches.
The “blue screen of death” on many Microsoft Windows computers was caused by a software update from a US cyber security firm called CrowdStrike.
Microsoft said that Windows devices running the CrowdStriek software “may encounter a bug check (BSOD [blue screen of death]) and get stuck in a restarting state”.
CrowdStrike, valued at over $80 billion before yesterday’s crisis, counts 29,000 companies as customers including schools, hospitals, supermarkets, airlines and banks.
The firm was quick to confirm the chaos was not caused by a cyber attack, but an update to its software.
When CrowdStrike’s software, called Falcon Sensor, was sent out automatically to its customers there was an error in the coding which meant Microsoft computers would not restart. The issues did not impact Apple Mac computers.
George Kurtz, CrowdStrike’s chief executive, said the cause of the problems was a “defect found in a single content update for Windows”. CrowdStrike’s security software is meant to detect viruses and online threats and is meant to block them. Yesterday it said that it was rolling back the update to the software.
Shares in the Austin, Texas based company plunged by 14 per cent as soon as US markets opened, wiping $10 billion (£7.7 billion) off the company in an instant.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer wasn’t at the meeting as he held talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street.
A No 10 spokeswoman said ministers were regularly updated on the outage, and the government is “working closely with the respective sectors and industries on this issue”.
Thousands of travellers were left stuck in horror queues at airports, wandering if they would ever catch their flights.
Stephanie Thompson, a Texas resident, is among those affected after visiting the UK for Wimbledon and The Open Championship.
Her 9.25am flight from Heathrow back to the US was cancelled.
She said: “It was supposed to leave at 9.25am and change in Heathrow at 11 and we were supposed to get into Dallas later today.
“We couldn’t get an answer from anybody.
Stephanie had tried calling British Airways but said that they kept hanging up on her as they were dealing with too many calls.
“We just paid 6,800 dollars for a one-way trip home, hopefully leaving tonight,” she added.
“I didn’t know what else to do. I just wanted something to get us home.”
At West Sussex airport, Lance and Penny Spraggons queued for over an hour.
“The biggest problem is the lack of information,” Lance added.
Earlier, a 16-year-old at Edinburgh Airport was left in “floods of tears” fearing she would miss her connecting flight to visit her father in the US.
Alison Mattu said her teenage daughter Priya raced through the airport to make her first flight to Dublin.
Fortunately, she made the connection but her mother fears she could still miss her transatlantic flight to Washington.
“It was chaos,” she added.
“Panic setting in for those, including my 16-year-old daughter travelling alone to visit her father via Dublin to Dulles, Washington DC, if they missed their flight.
“She ran in floods of tears on the phone to me, distressed and worried sick.”
The queue at Stansted snaked outside the main terminal building.
Courtney Kemal, 32, who had been in the queue for around two hours by late morning, revealed that her two sons aged five and seven were “obviously getting stressed”.
Similarly, Rafa de Miguel, from London, was stuck in a three-hour queue with more than 2,000 people at Stansted Airport.
The 56-year-old arrived four hours before his Ryanair flight to Madrid when he “sensed the mood change” as passengers learnt of the Microsoft outage.
“It’s been chaos and I was queuing for three and a half hours,” he said.
“I would say there were about 2,000-3,000 people waiting to check-in.
“There are mothers with babies and children in all this confusion.”
Rafa explained how systems for self-check-in stopped working, forcing staff to use old-school methods to get people on their flights.
“It’s a perfect example of us being too reliant on the internet,” he added.
“It goes down and the world goes crazy.
“You could tell the staff weren’t used to writing with a pen.”
I don’t think it’s too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history
Troy Hunt
Some, such as Belfast International Airport and Manchester, have gone “old school” amid the crash – and are displaying flight information on whiteboards.
How the IT outage is affecting the world…
American Airlines, Delta, and United planes told to stay in the air as global Microsoft outage grounds flights
Watch the moment Sky News is pulled off air after ‘tech issues’ plague show
Major airports, airlines, railways and supermarkets hit by the suspected CrowdStrike issue
Britain’s GPs are cancelling appointments as the NHS EMIS Web system goes down
Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Suncorp, Microsoft 365, Foxtel and the ABC all among those affected
Government holds an emergency COBRA meeting as Whitehall crisis officials work on IT outage
Airport staff are being forced to use whiteboards to show flight times and give out handwritten boarding passes
Shops are reporting not being able to take card payments with some putting up ‘cash only’ signs on doors
Cybersecurity software firm CrowdStrike say they have identified the issue behind the global outage as a flawed anti-viral update.
The firm is reportedly used by Microsoft to handle various updates to their systems.
In a statement on social media, CrowdStrike said the global IT outage was “not a security incident or cyberattack”, adding: “The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed”
However, cybersecurity experts claim it could be days before the disruption ends.
Researcher Kevin Beaumont said: “As systems no longer start, impacted systems will need to be started in ‘Safe Mode’, to remove the faulty update.
“This is incredibly time-consuming and will take organisations days to do at scale. Essentially we have one of the world’s highest impact IT incidents caused by a cyber-security vendor.”
Fellow tech experts have compared the chaos to the scale expected from Y2K or the Millennium Bug
Esteemed security consultant Troy Hunt posted on social media: “I don’t think it’s too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history.
“This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it’s actually happened this time.”
Schools across Britain are in carnage as they break up today amid the IT failure.
EPAThe outage meant that passengers couldn’t use the self-check-in at airports[/caption]
BSODWhat has been dubbed the ‘blue screen of death’ flashed across Microsoft screens around the world this morning[/caption]
Sophie PelhamHolidaymakers waiting in long lines at Stansted Airport[/caption]
Passengers were being handed bottled water at the London Airport amid delays
Sky News was rocked by the outage during their morning breakfast show
Fuming parents have shared on social media how the schoolcomms shutdown prevented them adding money to their kids’ accounts for school meals and drinks.
“Last day of term and I can’t add money to my sons account as neither of @Schoolcomms app and website are not working. And ideas how he can buy a drink?”, penned one mum.
Another wrote on X: “So thanks to the global IT outage, we have no Schoolcomms and we are all watching the news feeds in IT Support to see if any future quirks/blips are related to it.
“And here was me hoping for a calm and quiet day after this manic week.”
Meanwhile, the UK health sector has also been hit, with NHS GP surgeries now unable to access patient records or book appointments.
Practices have taken to social media to report they cannot access the EMIS Web system.
EMIS Web is the most widely used clinical system for primary care in the UK.
‘Critical incident’
A ROYAL Surrey NHS Foundation Trust has declared a critical incident.
A statement on its website said: “Royal Surrey has declared a critical incident due to external IT issues which are widely affecting services including ours. This issue has affected Varian, the IT system we use to deliver radiotherapy treatments.”
The trust said it had contacted patients who were due to have radiotherapy this morning to reschedule appointments.
“We hope these systems will be up and running soon and will directly contact patients who are due to have radiotherapy appointments if we are unable to deliver their treatments. Please attend your appointments unless you have heard otherwise.”
An update said the hospital is now able to deliver radiotherapy services and this afternoon’s appointments will take place as scheduled.
It added: “However, there is still some disruption to the radiotherapy system that may affect appointments running into next week. Please continue to attend your appointment unless you are contacted directly.”
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) also confirmed the IT outage is disrupting community pharmacies.
The Wilmslow Health Centre in Cheshire wrote on X: “All practices in the UK using the NHS commissioned GP computer system EMIS are currently without access to their IT systems.
“This is beyond the control of GP surgeries. Please bear with us until we have our IT systems back online.”
The Solihull Healthcare Partnership in the West Midlands said there is a “national issue” with EMIS Web.
It said on X: “Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web – our clinical computer system.
“This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning.
“We will update patients when we can. We apologise for the disruption.”
Other GP surgeries hit by the outage have said the issue “will have a big effect”.
Central Lakes Medical Group in Ambleside, Cumbria wrote on X: “We’re impacted by the IT outage.
“This will have a big effect on us, so apologies in advance for the inconvenience caused, and delays on the phone.”
Another post by Pocklington Group Practice in the East Riding of Yorkshire said: “Due to ongoing Windows issues affecting IT worldwide, the practice is currently unable to function as normal.
“This may result in appointments needing to be cancelled and rearranged. Updates will follow when available.”
Hulme Hall Medical Group, based in Stockport, Manchester, sent this message to all patients: “For the attention of all patients. There is a nationwide problem with our computer systems. This includes appointment making and accessing patient records.
“We are unable to offer any appointments at the moment until this issue is resolved. If you feel you need urgent medical attention please contact 111. Only ring 999 if you believe it is a life-threatening emergency. Alternatively visit the Walk-In Centre or local Hospital.
Microsoft Statement
Microsoft announced it is taking “mitigation actions” against the issues.
They said on X: “Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions.
“We remain committed in treating this event with the highest priority and urgency while we continue to address the lingering impact for the remaining Microsoft 365 apps that are in a degraded state.”
“We hope this issue will be resolved soon and we apologize for the inconvenience.”
And, a GP practice in Oxfordshire has asked patients with “routine concerns” to wait until Monday amid an IT outage.
Writing on X, Windrush Medical Practice in Witney, said: “There is a nationwide outage of our booking system EMIS.
“We’re continuing as normal for urgent enquiries but ask for routine concerns to wait until Monday.
“Please continue to submit your queries through Engage Consult. Thank you.”
Elsewhere in the country, Grimethorpe Surgery in Barnsley reported it had no access to the clinical system, EMIS Web.
Another surgery in Putney, southwest London, is displaying an error message online to patients who attempt to book.
Global services affected by IT outage
Trains
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) – urged passengers to expect disruption due to “widespread IT issues”
Gatwick Express – warned travellers they are “currently experiencing widespread IT issues”
South Western Railway – all ticket vending machines are currently non operational – buy tickets online
National Rail – some train operators are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice train cancellations
TransPennine Express – some TPE stations and systems are having IT issues – buy tickets online
New York City’s MTA system affected
Washington D.C Metro trains – delayed
Airports and airlines
Manchester Airport – delays for those checking-in for Swissport flights
London Gatwick – passengers may experience some delays while checking in and passing through security but should still arrive for their normal check-in time
Ryanair – advising passengers to go home
Edinburgh Airport – wait times longer than usual
Stansted Airport – some airline check-in services reverted to being done manually, but main operational systems are unaffected and flights are still operating as normal
Luton Airport – running manual systems
Heathrow Airport – affected but flights operational – check with airline on latest journey information
Bristol Airport – flights cancelled to Amsterdam
Belfast International Airport – delays
American Airlines – all flights cancelled
United and Delta – no flights taking off
Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines – flights grounded
Frontier and SunCountry – affected by outage
San Francisco Airport – passengers reporting suspended flights
Detroit Metro Airport – travellers sharing chaotic scenes of queues continuing to grow
Mumbai Airport – check-in desks shut down for IndiGo, Akasa and Spice Jet flights
Australian airline Qantas – flights grounded
Schipol Airport in Amsterdam – flights to and from the Netherlands affected
Spanish airport association AENA – reported issues at 42 airports
Rome’s Fiumicino Airport affected
Ibiza Airport – empty due to IT outage
Hamburg Airport in Germany affected
BER Berlin Airport – Long queues
The Hague Airport in Rotterdam – travellers experiencing longer wait times
Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo – check-in delays
Palma Mallorca Airport affected
Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok – longer queues reported
Hong Kong Express Airways passengers delayed at Hong Kong International Airport
Television Networks
Sky News – Friday morning breakfast show unable to air but now back on screens with reporter reading from printed notes
Paramount Global channels including MTV, VH1, CMT and Pop TV – bumped offline.
Britain’s GPs
The Wilmslow Health Centre in Cheshire – without access to their IT systems
Solihull Healthcare Partnership in the West Midlands – affected ability to book/consult with patients this morning
Central Lakes Medical Group in Ambleside – stated there has been a “big effect” and delays on the phone expected
Pocklington Group Practice in the East Riding of Yorkshire – appointments needing to be cancelled and rearranged
Hulme Hall Medical Group, in Stockport – unable to offer any appointments
Windrush Medical Practice in Witney, Oxfordshire – continuing as normal for urgent enquiries but ask for routine concerns to wait until Monday
Grimethorpe Surgery in Barnsley – no access to the clinical system, EMIS Web
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) confirmed the IT outage is disrupting community pharmacies
A surgery in Putney, southwest London – Displaying an error message online to patients who attempt to book
Global hospitals
Two German hospitals have been forced to cancel emergency operations
The hospitals, in the northern German cities of Luebeck and Kiel, cancelled all elective operations scheduled for today
Supermarkets and restaurants
Morrisons are affected
Some Waitrose and Co-op are now cash only
Gails and Waterstones experiencing some issues
Wetherspoons pubs – only accepting cash
Woolworths and Coles supermarkets in Australia – self service machines not working
Events
Manchester United ticket release postponed – morning’s ticket release will be postponed until midday and website will remain unavailable
Banks and supermarkets in Australia including Beyond Bank Australia have also been experiencing issues this morning.
Various Microsoft services in Japan and New Zealand are also battling tech issues.
It comes as the mega IT outage has also sparked mass train cancellations and delays for passengers travelling this morning.
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) urged passengers to expect disruption due to “widespread IT issues”.
The parent company of Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern issued the alert across social media.
It read: “We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network.
“Our IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem.
“We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations, particularly on the Thameslink and Great Northern networks.
“Additionally, other key systems, including our real-time customer information platforms, are also affected.
“We will provide additional updates when we can. In the meantime, please regularly check your journey before you travel.”
Gatwick Express also warned travellers they are “currently experiencing widespread IT issues” across the entire network.
South Western Railway confirmed there will be major disruption for their passengers too.
“Due to IT issues across the South Western Railway network all ticket vending machines are currently non operational,” a message read on X.
COBRA meeting
Earlier, the Liberal Democrats were calling for a COBRA meeting.
This stands for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A – a set of rooms where government meets during emergencies.
As reported by Sky News, it is understood these meetings have taken place insofar as official level meetings being in one of the COBRA rooms.
Pat McFadden wrote on X: “Many people are being affected by today’s IT outages impacting services across the country and globally.
“Ministers are working with their sectors and respective industries on the issue.
“I am in close contact with teams coordinating our response through the COBR response system.”
A No 10 spokeswoman told reporters: “We recognise the impact this is having on services and the Government is working closely with the respective sectors and industries on this issue, which is affecting services not only across the UK but also globally.
“Officials have met in the Cobra unit on this this morning and of course are updating ministers regularly on this issue.”
She said she was not aware of plans for a Cobra gathering with ministers present.
Asked why Sir Keir Starmer did not chair the meeting of the committee, she said: “The Prime Minister’s had bilaterals with President Zelensky and Cabinet this morning, but all ministers including the Prime Minister are being kept informed with the latest.”
The spokeswoman also said she is not aware of any Government business being hit by the outage.
“Please purchase your ticket online, on the train or speak to a member of station staff.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this causes.”
National Rail has now warned to expect cancellations and delays over the “network wide” IT chaos.
In a post on National Rail’s website, the company said: “There are currently widespread IT issues across the entire network.
“IT teams are investigating to determine the root cause of the problem.
“As a result, some train operators are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice train cancellations.
“Additional, other key systems including real-time customer information platforms, are also affected.”
The company issued a statement on X this morning.
It read: “Please be aware that some TPE stations and systems are having IT issues.
“Please purchase tickets on board if you are unable to do so in stations.”
Supermarket chains across the UK have been hit as baffled customers experience issues at check-out.
Morrisons reported being affected by the crash, while some Waitrose and Co-op locations are only accepting cash.
Customers shopping at Gails and Waterstones have also encountered problems in light of the outage.
A host of major airports across the UK have reported issues this morning.
It comes as figures revealed today is the busiest day of the year so far for UK air travel with 3,214 departing flights – as thousands of families jet off on summer holidays.
Ryanair has now told passengers to go home amid flight cancellations.
The airline said in a statement: “Unfortunately, we’ve been forced to cancel a small number of flights today due to this global third-party IT outage.
“Affected passengers have been notified and are advised to log into their myRyanair account once systems are back online to see their options.
“A full list of cancellations is available here. If your flight has been cancelled, we kindly request that you leave the airport as the IT outage means we cannot currently assist passengers at the airport.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this global third-party IT outage, and we are working hard to minimise disruption and keep passengers informed.”
CrowdStrike statement
CrowdStrike posted a message on their website which read: “CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows related the the Falcon Sensor.”
They say they are still “working on” fixing it but have since reverted back to the old system to prevent any further disruption.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, CrowdStrike president George Kurtz said the problem was caused by a “defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts”.
He said: “This is not a security incident or cyber attack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.
“We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website.
“We further recommend organisations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels.
“Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers.”
Mr Kurtz said the issue was not affecting Mac or Linux software.
Fellow budget airline easyJet said their systems “have not been directly affected” by the outage.
A spokeswoman for easyJet said: “EasyJet’s IT systems have not been directly affected by the Microsoft systems issues this morning, however we are aware that some airports’ systems have been impacted across Europe.
“This has led to some disruption to flights this morning and we expect some further potential impact to flights today.
There’s lots of irate people who have been drinking, waiting to go on holiday, and now they’ve been told they can’t go – and they can’t leave the airport
Passenger stuck at Bristol Airport
“Customers should expect longer than usual airport queues and we are advising customers travelling from Spanish airports to arrive three hours before their flight.
“We advise customers due to travel with us today to continue to check the latest updates on their flight on easyJet’s Flight Tracker before making their way to the airport.
“Although outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.”
And, Manchester Airport has said the IT outage is only affecting Swissport, who handle some ground work for a few airlines.
Holidaymakers are still being checked-in manually which means delays for those travelling on flights supplied by Swissport.
A Manchester Airport spokesman confirmed passengers don’t need to change arrangements and “we don’t want people thinking they need to come to the airport earlier because that can cause overcrowding”.
London Gatwick has since stated they have been affected by the global issue.
In a statement, the airport said: “We are affected by the global Microsoft issues, so passengers may experience some delays while checking in and passing through security.
“Passengers should still arrive for their normal check-in time. We apologise for any inconvenience and are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
A traveller at Gatwick Airport said he had been queuing for more than three-and-a-half hours ahead of a flight to Miami, Florida.
Dean Seddon, 42, from Plymouth, told the PA news agency: “There are just people everywhere, there must be 400 people in this queue for the check in desk I’m at… it’s just bedlam.
“It’s one of those things where you kind of know we’re not going to fly, but you don’t want to leave because you don’t know.
We just paid $6,800 for a one-way trip home, hopefully leaving tonight. I didn’t know what else to do. I just wanted something to get us home
U.S travellers stuck in the UK
“(Staff are) doing the best they can but they don’t actually know when it’s going to be fixed, so it is frustrating, but you kind of feel for the staff as well.”
Fellow flyer Elaine Bevan, has been stuck in a check-in line for over two hours.
The 70-year-old said: “We’re all getting a bit tired. It took us ages to find the queue in the first place.”
Asked if she was prepared to wait until the evening for the flight, she said: “I think we have to. It’s been booked for a long time – since November last year.”
She asked: “In the world where IT is king, why does it not perform as it should?”
Meanwhile, another traveller said there was “confusion” as staff initially tried to charge customers 50 euro to issue new boarding passes as passengers were unable to access their passes virtually.
Carlos Neto, 38, told the PA news agency “the entire system was confusing” to passengers as the departure screen incorrectly said “gate closed” even though the gate was remaining open until all passengers arrived.
He added: “The lines were very long because passengers from other flights were then also delayed. Because no one explained what was happening I think it created more confusion.”
Heathrow Airport confirmed the outage has affected them but flights are operational.
A spokesperson said: “Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow.
“Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys.
“Please check with your airline for the latest flight information.”
Passengers at the airport have reported delays but said “it’s not Armageddon.
A holidaymaker penned on X: “If you’re travelling from Heathrow it’s not too bad.
“Bag drop card payment system was down and some people who’d been unable to check in online overnight said they’d queued for a bit longer than usual.
“Some delays and a couple of cancellations showing but it’s not Armageddon.”
More chaotic scenes have been spotted at Bristol Airport as flights to Amsterdam have been scrapped.
Bea, who was intending to travel there for a holiday today told The Sun: “Our flight was cancelled almost an hour ago and we haven’t had any further information, they’ve cancelled the next one to which means the earliest flight is 5.30pm.
“We had checked in, we were boarded, and then we were told there was a points failure at the other end.
“They told us it would be a three hour delay so they got us to disembark the plane.
“Once we got off, a stewardess said it would probably more likely be five hours – and now of course it’s cancelled.
“It’s very busy at the airport, there’s lots of long queues at cash points because no where is taking card payments.
“There’s lots of irate people who have been drinking, waiting to go on holiday, and now they’ve been told they can’t go – and they can’t leave the airport.
What is CrowdStrike?
THE global cyber outage affecting TV channels, banks, hospitals, airports and emergency services appears to relate to an issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
IT security firm CrowdStrike ran a recorded phone message on Friday – saying it was aware of reports of crashes on Microsoft’s Windows operating system relating to its Falcon sensor.
A prerecorded message said: “Thanks for contacting CrowdStrike support. CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows… related to the Falcon sensor.”
The Falcon system monitors the computers it is installed on and detects hacks and bugs before responding to them.
CrowdStrike, headquartered in Austin, Texas, says it is a global security leader which provides an advanced platform to protect data.
A CrowdStrike update on Friday is said to have caused a critical error in Microsoft operating systems, affecting millions worldwide.
The company regularly updates systems with new anti-virus software
Toby Murray, associate professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems at The University of Melbourne, Australia said: “If Falcon is suffering a malfunction then it could be causing a widespread outage for two reasons .
“One: Falcon is widely deployed on many computers, and two: because of Falcon’s privileged nature.
“Falcon is a bit like anti-virus software: it is regularly updated with information about the latest online threats.
“It is possible that today’s outage may have been caused by a buggy update to Falcon.”.
Cyber expert Troy Hunt told Australian TV network Seven: “It looks like they’ve pushed a bad update, which is presently nuking every machine that takes it.”
“We can’t leave until they’ve coordinated how to get luggage out.”
Elsewhere, London Stansted Airport said that some airline check-in services are being done manually.
A spokesperson confirmed: “Some retail payment machine services have been impacted, and some airline check-in services reverted to being done manually, but our main operational systems are unaffected and flights are still operating as normal.”
Carol Murphy, 58, who was queuing inside the terminal building for a Ryanair flight to go on a 10-day holiday to Vienna, said: “They keep coming round and people who’ve got a flight upcoming, they send them forward.
“I think they’re doing quite well.”
Student Jack O’Leary, who was waiting for a Ryanair flight to Dublin, added: “We’re quite understanding – it’s a global outage and everything’s pretty chaotic.
“We’re very much in stasis mode waiting for something to happen and hoping we can get to Dublin today.”
And, Edinburgh Airport has also reported issues caused by the global crash.
Posting on its official X account, the airport said: “An IT system outage means wait times are longer than usual at the airport.
“This outage is affecting many other businesses, including airports. Work is ongoing to resolve this and our teams are on hand to assist where we can. Passengers are thanked for their patience.”
Stephanie Thomson, heading home to Dallas, Texas, from the airport told the PA news agency: “It was supposed to leave at 9.25am and change in Heathrow at 11am and we were supposed to get into Dallas later today.
“We couldn’t get an answer from anybody. British Airways kept hanging up saying we have too many calls right now.
“I was on hold with American (Airlines) for about an hour and 10 minutes before I finally hung up.
“We just paid $6,800 for a one-way trip home, hopefully leaving tonight. I didn’t know what else to do. I just wanted something to get us home.”
Luton Airport said the global IT outage is affecting some airlines and operations are continuing with manual systems.
A spokesperson wrote on X: “We are aware of an ongoing global IT issue that is impacting check-in and boarding procedures for some airlines.
“We have additional staff on hand to support and operations are continuing with manual systems.
“Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for flight updates.”
Travel insurance
HOLIDAYMAKERS whose plans have been dashed are urged to check with their travel insurer to see what they are covered for.
MoneySuperMarket Travel Insurance said if a policy includes travel disruption cover – it may be possible to claim for disruption or losses incurred as a result of a trip being delayed or cancelled.
A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said: “We can appreciate that it will be very stressful for anyone whose travel plans have been impacted by the IT outage.
“If your travel insurance policy includes cover for travel disruption then costs that you might incur as a result of travel delays or cancellations, and that are not recoverable from elsewhere, should be included.
“In the first instance, refunds should be sought from the airline, accommodation provider or tour operator and any bookings made through a credit card may also have recoverable cost protection.
“If unsure, check with your travel insurer to see what you’re covered for.”
It comes as Sky News was also this morning knocked off the air completely, with the outlet airing archive footage instead.
The Friday breakfast show was cancelled as baffled viewers say a statement “apologising” for disruption flash up on their screens.
It has since returned to air, welcoming viewers back to the channel, the morning anchor said: “A major global IT outage is hitting businesses worldwide, including here at Sky News.”
The presenters read from printed out notes during the report.
Customers trying to access their banks this morning have also found they are locked out due to the IT problem.
Concerning reports further confirmed the outage has affected the London Stock Exchange – although it is still running.
The Manchester United ticket release has also been postponed.
A statement on X read: “Unfortunately, due to a global Microsoft Servers outage which is affecting many systems, including ours, this morning’s ticket release will be postponed until midday.
“The website will also remain unavailable until the issue is resolved. Further updates will be provided here, including any further potential delays.”
It comes as all American Airlines flights have been grounded across the pond due to the major outage.
Meanwhile, airborne flights are set to remain circling in airspace above until the issue has been resolved, confirmed the Federal Aviation Agency.
And, other major airlines United and Delta have stated no flights will be taking off.
According to FlightAware, over 500 U.S flights faced delays and over 320 U.S flights were cancelled.
In worrying reports, emergency service lines in the Unites States are understood to be affected.
There have been claims that 911 emergency lines are down in several states including Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio and Alaska.
Various Microsoft services in Japan and New Zealand are also battling tech issues this morning.
Elsewhere, Mumbai Airport is the latest to fall victim to the outage, which has seen check-in desks shut down for IndiGo, Akasa and Spice Jet flights.
Australian banks and supermarkets have now reported checkouts going down after being hit by the IT outage.
GettyMany check-ins across UK airports are now being done manually[/caption]
PALarge crowds of holidaymakers have started to gather at the major airport[/caption]
Chaos at London Gatwick this morning
Story Picture AgencyCommuters are seen attempting to purchase train tickets from a self-service machine at Waterloo Station[/caption]
