by Passengers have described “bedlam” at UK airport check-ins after a global IT outage on what was set to be the busiest flight day since the start of the Covid pandemic, while train networks were also disrupted.
More than 3,000 flights were canceled worldwide after Microsoft Windows operating systems used by airlines, airports and some air traffic systems were affected.
Some US carriers, including American Airlines and Delta, temporarily grounded all flights. Dutch airline KLM said flight handling was “impossible” and would largely suspend operations on Friday morning, while Swiss air traffic had to cut flights by 30%. Problems have also been reported in India, Japan and Australia.
In the UK, Gatwick and Luton were among the hubs where airline check-in systems crashed, while the largest commuter rail network, GTR, said its Thameslink and Southern trains were disrupted due to a failure of communication systems.
The transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said her department was “working at speed with industry and across government on the issue”.
Related: The global Windows IT breach: what we know so far
A passenger at Gatwick, the UK’s second busiest airport, said he queued for more than three-and-a-half hours at check-in, with staff handing out water to those waiting on the hottest day of the year in the UK therefore. much.
Dean Seddon, 42, from Plymouth, told the PA news agency that he had been queuing since 6am for a flight to Miami with Norse Atlantic Airways. “There’s just people everywhere, there must be 400 people in this queue for the check-in desk I’m at… it’s just bedlam,” he said. “[Staff are] are doing their best but they don’t know when it will be fixed.”
The outage struck after the first wave of UK morning flights checked in, leaving some without the worst of the disruption.
Budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet said the situation was out of control and advised passengers to arrive at airports early, with some flights switching to manual check-ins and handwritten boarding passes. EasyJet said customers should expect longer airport queues and advised those traveling from Spanish airports, in particular, to arrive three hours before their flight.
Wizz Air said its website, online check-in and apps were affected and passengers would have to check-in manually.
British Airways said some of its flights were “likely to be disrupted” because “issues in our operational systems caused the disruption”.
There were long queues at Luton airport, while Edinburgh airport said waiting times were extended. Heathrow said the outage was “disrupting selected systems” but that flights were operating and they were “implementing contingency plans to minimize any impact” on journeys.
Ryanair has urged passengers whose flights have been canceled to leave airports and use its website or app, once restored, to find options for bookings or refunds.
Passengers are entitled to a refund or rerouting, as well as food and drinks during long delays, but are unlikely to be compensated for any delay in an event deemed beyond the airlines’ control.
At Palma de Mallorca airport, Jemma Wheeler, 30, told the BBC her family of five stood in a queue for three hours. “We only came for a short five night break. We thought it was a quick two-hour flight and we would be back in no time to enjoy the nice weather at home,” she said.
Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, said the IT issues had a significant impact on global travel. “Our travel management companies are working hard to find new arrangements and reassure stranded passengers around the world,” he said.
Analyst firm Cirium said 3,343 flights had been canceled worldwide by 3pm UK time. More than 3,200 UK departures were scheduled for Friday, the busiest day since 2019.
UK air traffic control provider Nats, which suffered a major IT failure last summer, said its systems were operating normally.
On the trains, the National Rail site said there were “extensive IT issues across the entire network”. He said: “Some train operators are not able to access driver diagrams in some locations, which can cause trains to be canceled at short notice. Other key systems are also affected, including real-time customer information platforms.”
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group said: “The majority of trains are still running across the country and rail staff will be able to provide customers with the latest information in person.”
South Western Railway said all its ticket vending machines had stopped working due to IT problems. Other operators affected included West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway and TransPennine Express.
Network Rail, which manages the rail infrastructure, was unaffected.
