A global Microsoft outage on Saturday, July 20th, has continued to disrupt flight operations, causing widespread delays and cancellations across India. The issue, linked to an antivirus program update impacting Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, began on Thursday at 1900 GMT. This major IT catastrophe has crippled check-in systems at airports nationwide, leading to significant inconvenience for travelers.
On Friday, airports in Delhi and Rajasthan were forced to issue manual boarding passes due to the Microsoft outage. Passengers reported long queues and extended waiting times, with flights delayed by hours or even canceled altogether. The impact extended beyond airlines, affecting banks, TV channels, and other businesses globally, highlighting the reliance on digital systems and the magnitude of this IT crash.
The outage impacted users of CrowdStrike Falcon cybersecurity software, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of the issue. Passengers shared their experiences on social media, showcasing the frustrations caused by the disruption. A passenger at Delhi airport described a half-hour delay and long queues, while a traveler from Mumbai recounted a canceled flight and lack of accommodation, leading to a sleepless night. A medical doctor from Sri Lanka, aiming to deliver a lecture in Bhubaneshwar, saw his flight canceled, emphasizing the impact on individuals with time-sensitive commitments.
Videos from Chennai International Airport showed passengers waiting in queues as flight services remained disrupted for the second day. At least 16 flights were canceled, and 30 others were delayed for several hours. Similar scenes played out at Goa Airport, where passengers received handwritten boarding passes with misspelled names after facing delays due to server issues.
The outage also impacted operations at Raipur airport, resulting in the cancellation of five flights. A passenger at Gujarat Airport highlighted the dependence on digital systems, acknowledging the significant impact of the crash. BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy attributed the issue to a failure in the Microsoft cloud computing system, emphasizing the impact on backend services like bookings and check-ins.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to IT failures and the far-reaching consequences such events can have on individuals and businesses alike. As reliance on digital systems continues to grow, it becomes increasingly crucial to address potential vulnerabilities and ensure resilience in the face of such disruptions.
