Cyber Outage Disrupts Thousands of Flights Worldwide—Here’s What Travelers Must Know

It was an unwanted content update. When cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike rolled out an update for systems running Microsoft Windows, scheduled overnight from Thursday to Friday, those systems crashed. This led to a complicated mess of canceled and delayed flights, along with numerous other business disruptions.

“This is neither a security incident nor a cyberattack,” CrowdStrike stated in a release, noting that the issue has been pinpointed and a solution is being implemented.

However, as of the latest report, over 40,000 flights have been delayed globally, with more than 4,500 cancellations—and the numbers keep climbing—as airline operations came to a standstill, resulting in chaos.

“Our flight from Istanbul to Paris [CDG] landed just before 10 a.m. [Friday]. We were anxious about making a tight connection to Salt Lake, when I noticed the headlines. We’ve spent the entire day in the Air France lounge, watching Delta extend our delay by an hour repeatedly before finally canceling,” wrote Dinogo contributor Jeri Clausing in an email titled: “Cyber outage hell.”

She mentioned that Delta's partner airline Air France “is doing everything possible to assist, but [representatives] indicated that their systems simply aren’t communicating. Air France claims we’ve been rebooked, but who knows? It’s a nightmare.”

She added that airport hotels are largely fully booked and shared a screenshot showing a rate of $15,061 per night at the Hyatt Place at Charles de Gaulle. “I can only hope that rate is an error,” she remarked, saying, “We’re heading to the fifth arrondissement. We’ll see what unfolds tomorrow.”

What airlines are offering to travelers

Clausing isn’t the only one left stranded today. Delta Air Lines has been hit hardest, reporting 1,019 canceled flights on Friday and 1,583 delays as of the latest update, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. American Airlines has faced 373 cancellations and 1,439 delays, while United has recorded 490 canceled flights and 1,689 delays thus far.

Delta announced a waiver for fare and change fees on all flights booked on or before July 19 that are rebooked by July 24.

“A disruption from a global IT outage is leading to a systemwide ground stop affecting our operations,” Delta stated, urging travelers to check their flight status “regularly” for real-time updates.

“If rebooked travel takes place on or before July 24, 2024, in the same service class as originally booked, the fare difference will be waived,” Delta explained, adding that a fare difference might apply if the fare class changes in the new reservation.

United Airlines has also implemented a fare waiver due to the CrowdStrike outage for flights booked on or before July 19, for travel to or from these airports: Cleveland (CLE); Denver (DEN); Newark (EWR); Frankfurt (FRA); Guam (GUM); Honolulu (HNL); Washington, D.C. (IAD); Houston (IAH); Los Angeles (LAX); London (LHR); Orlando (MCO); Chicago (ORD); and San Francisco (SFO).

United mentioned that “if your flight is impacted, here are your options: You can reschedule your journey, and we’ll waive change fees and fare differences. However, your new flight must be a United flight departing between July 18, 2024, and July 25, 2024. Tickets must remain in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked.”

American Airlines notified customers that “earlier this morning, a widespread technology issue with a vendor affected several airlines, including American.” American confirmed that it managed to “safely resume operations” as of 5 a.m. ET.

American Airlines stated that it will contact affected customers via the American Airlines app or through text messages. Customers experiencing disruptions can rebook or cancel without any fees or choose to receive a refund.

Most major U.S. airlines are waiving change fees until July 25, according to Adam Morvitz, travel expert and CEO of Point.me, a points and rewards search engine. “If you’re traveling on reward tickets, you’re in the same situation as cash ticket holders. While airlines may automatically rebook you, calling customer service might present better options. Remember, airlines won’t cover additional costs like hotels or meals, so be prepared,” Morvitz advised.

Clausing pointed out that since the issue is technology-related, “as you might expect, the Delta app and website were showing useless error messages.” Therefore, contacting customer service or standing in line could be the best options if technology fails for rebookings.

Airports experiencing the most disruptions

Regarding airports, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), recognized as the busiest airport in the world, has reported the highest number of cancellations, with 360 flights canceled and counting, according to FlightAware data. Other airports facing significant cancellations include Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MPS), LaGuardia (LGA), Detroit Metro Wayne (DTW), Newark (EWR), Zurich (ZRH), Houston (IAH), and Berlin-Brandenburg (BER).

In a statement, Amsterdam Schiphol acknowledged that the disruption significantly affected flights to and from the airport. However, they confirmed that systems have been rebooted and they are collaborating with airlines to ensure passengers reach their destinations as swiftly as possible.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that around 110,000 commercial flights are scheduled for Friday, July 19. Out of these, 27,000 flights are planned for travel to, from, and within the USA, potentially carrying up to 3.7 million passengers, including international departures.

Cirium indicates that there is some positive news for travelers—about 62 percent of flights were still departing on time on Friday.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated it is actively monitoring the situation, as several airlines have sought FAA assistance with the ground stops.

What should travelers do if they are having trouble using ATMs or are experiencing banking issues?

In Paris, Clausing observed that many shops were only accepting cash as they struggled with the ongoing computer issues. She mentioned that she managed to withdraw the maximum allowed from an ATM "just in case," but noted that others may not have been as fortunate.

Theresa Payton, founder of Fortalice Solutions and former White House chief information officer, stated, "Travelers around the globe are currently impacted by the outage and are anxiously waiting for updates on when they can reach their final destinations."

For travelers facing banking issues, Payton recommends exploring all options like bank withdrawals, credit cards, and checks. If these methods fail, she suggests contacting your bank directly. Additionally, keep a close eye on your statements to ensure all transactions are legitimate and that no duplicate charges appear once the outage is resolved.

What is the expected duration of these issues?

Delays and cancellations due to the cyber outage may persist into the weekend.

Morvitz noted that "Airlines are diligently working to restore normal operations," but indicated that the disruptions could last a few days, likely extending until Sunday, so travelers should anticipate delays and cancellations throughout the weekend.

Advice for travelers

Firstly, travelers should be aware of their rights. A spokesperson from the [Department of Transportation] has confirmed that the IT system outage is viewed as controllable by airlines, granting travelers additional rights under the Airline Customer Service Dashboard, Katy Nastro from Going.com informed Dinogo.

She further explained, "In this unusual and chaotic situation, determining what you're entitled to only adds to the frustration. Regardless of whether the situation is seen as controllable or not, passengers have the right to refunds—not vouchers—and if they opt not to fly, they should only accept a full refund of their ticket's value."

Kathleen Bangs, a former airline pilot and spokesperson for FlightAware, suggested that while it's wise for travelers to have a backup plan, it may be beneficial to wait a bit before making any decisions about their flights as the situation continues to unfold.

Bangs remarked, "For instance, there was a United flight at MSP where the airline informed passengers that due to the outage, they were uncertain if or when the flight would take off. As a result, some travelers opted to head home. Then, unexpectedly, the flight departed only about 90 minutes late, causing them to miss it. That's why I always advise staying at the airport if there's a chance your flight could leave... especially earlier in the day."

Morvitz shared a set of useful tips for travelers with upcoming flights.

1. Stay proactive: The travel expert encourages passengers to avoid waiting for airline updates. "Monitor your flight status closely... if there's an issue, make changes as soon as possible."
2. Utilize airline travel waivers: All major airlines are currently offering fee waivers, including for reward tickets. Take advantage of this to modify your flight.
3. Consider backup options: Look into alternative flights and have a backup plan ready.
4. Verify your rebooked flight: If you've altered your flight, check the status of the new booking before heading to the airport, as delays and cancellations may affect it too.
5. Control your expenses: Be prepared for potential additional costs for hotels or meals that airlines may not cover. Review your credit card and travel insurance policies for any coverage and benefits.