Nidhish Waghmare
On July 19, 2024, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines experienced significant disruptions due to a global third-party software outage. The outage led to the grounding of numerous flights, causing widespread delays and inconveniences for travelers.
The Incident Unfolds
Early in the morning, American Airlines, Delta, and United confirmed to PEOPLE that their flights had been grounded. United Airlines stated, “A third-party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide.” This outage, which affected airlines globally, was not due to a security incident or cyberattack, as clarified by the software company CrowdStrike.
American Airlines confirmed they were in communication with airborne flights and restricted departures until after 5 a.m. EST. United echoed this approach, noting that while flights already in the air would proceed to their destinations, ground stops were in effect for departing aircraft. Delta similarly halted all flights, informing customers through the Fly Delta app and text messages.
Impact and Resolution Efforts
As airlines worked to restore normal operations, they anticipated ongoing disruptions throughout the day. United resumed some flights but warned that schedule disruptions would persist. Delta’s spokesperson assured customers of notifications regarding flight impacts via their app and text messages.
CrowdStrike, the software vendor, stated that the issue had been identified and isolated, and a fix was deployed. They emphasized the importance of communication through official channels to ensure stability and security for their customers.
Global Repercussions
The outage’s impact extended beyond the U.S. In the U.K., multiple businesses, including Sky News and several banks, faced disruptions. The Paris Olympics organizing committee also reported IT issues. Airports worldwide, such as Berlin and Amsterdam, experienced delays and long check-in lines.
In Australia, Jetstar Airways, Qantas, and Virgin Airlines reported significant outages and slow processing of passengers. A statement on the Azure cloud software status report site confirmed issues impacting Virtual Machines running Windows with the CrowdStrike Falcon agent.
The global third-party software outage that grounded major U.S. airlines highlighted the vulnerabilities in relying on external IT systems. As airlines and software vendors worked to resolve the issue, travelers faced significant delays and disruptions, underscoring the need for robust contingency plans in the aviation industry.
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