Airlines continue to recover from a global technology outage that has disrupted thousands of flights, leaving passengers stranded worldwide. For the third consecutive day, more than 1,000 U.S. flights were canceled.
Ongoing Flight Cancellations and Delays
As of Sunday morning, over 1,500 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. were canceled, according to FlightAware.com. In Chicago, O’Hare Airport reported 127 delayed flights and 76 cancellations, while Midway Airport experienced 39 delays and two cancellations.
Delta Air Lines Hit Hardest
Delta Air Lines faced the brunt of the cancellations, with at least 500 flights affected. The airline announced, “Additional cancellations are expected as some of Delta’s technology continues to recover from Friday morning’s vendor-caused issue.”
Global Impact Beyond Aviation
The tech outage, caused by a flawed software update for Microsoft Windows by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, affected various sectors worldwide, including businesses, government agencies, health and emergency services, banks, schools, and universities. Glenn Gerstell, former general counsel of the U.S. National Security Agency, stated, “This is probably going to be the biggest single computer incident in terms of overall effect.”
Efforts to Restore Systems
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologized for the disruption, noting that a fix has been deployed. However, experts anticipate a lengthy recovery process due to the extensive impact on approximately 8.5 million Windows devices.
Airlines Struggle with Manual Reboots
David Kennedy, co-founder of cybersecurity company Binary Defense, explained that the recovery process involves more than simple reboots. “There’s just not enough people at those airports, at those locations to go and do it,” Kennedy said.
United Airlines and American Airlines Updates
United Airlines reported that most of its systems have recovered, although some disruptions may persist. On Saturday, United canceled over 400 flights, with more than 200 cancellations on Sunday. American Airlines announced it had reestablished operations and issued a travel waiver for affected customers.
Delta Pauses Unaccompanied Minor Travel
Due to the outage, Delta has paused unaccompanied minor travel until Monday. The airline requested that no new flights be booked for unaccompanied minors during this period.
Passenger Frustration and Impact
The outage has led to significant passenger frustration, with many missing important life events. At Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Delta passenger Catalina Villareal described the scene as “mayhem, chaos, frustration, hunger.” Villareal criticized the lack of information from airlines, adding that she had experienced three cancellations and was unsure about the status of her luggage.
US Department of Transportation’s Response
The U.S. Department of Transportation deemed the flight delays and cancellations “controllable” and attributed them to the airlines. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized that passengers are entitled to refunds for canceled flights if they do not opt for rebooking.
Passengers’ Experiences and Missed Events
Many travelers shared their experiences of missed flights and disrupted plans. Richard Whitfield from Pasco County, Florida, missed his mother’s wedding due to multiple delays and cancellations. Similarly, Charlotte Yeh at Boston Logan International Airport missed her father’s 96th birthday, and Marc Forbes had to cancel a long-planned trip to Las Vegas.
The global tech outage continues to have widespread effects, and while airlines are gradually restoring services, many passengers remain in a state of uncertainty and frustration.
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