Following a global IT outage that affected airline systems across airports, causing chaos and disruptions in flight operations, the Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has assured that the issues are being resolved. The outage, triggered by a product update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, impacted airlines, financial sector companies, hospitals, and even television channels. However, as of Saturday morning, the systems have started working normally, and flight operations are gradually resuming.
The outage forced airports to switch to manual mode for passenger booking, reservation, and boarding systems, leading to delays and cancellations of hundreds of flights. The disruption created a backlog that is currently being cleared, with expectations of all issues being resolved by noon. Most airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa, and Air India Express, have reported that their reservation and check-in systems are now operational, providing some relief to passengers who were affected by the chaos.
Despite the challenges faced during the outage, passengers are now expressing relief as operations are slowly getting back on track. One passenger at Delhi Airport mentioned that online printing (DigiYatra) was now convenient, unlike the previous day when the systems were down. The passenger highlighted that while the network issue was frustrating, the airline industry is gradually working towards resolving the disruptions and ensuring that flights are back on schedule.
Budget carrier IndiGo, which had to cancel around 200 flights due to the Microsoft outage, acknowledged the challenges faced by customers but mentioned that significant progress has been made in restoring normal operations. Similarly, SpiceJet and Akasa Air confirmed that all their systems at airports, including ticket bookings, were up and running smoothly after resolving the IT outage. Akasa Air emphasized that despite the unprecedented challenges, all scheduled flights operated with minimal disruptions and no cancellations.
While the global IT outage presented a significant operational challenge for the airline industry, the prompt response and efforts made by airports, airlines, and relevant authorities have helped in restoring normal operations. Passenger inconvenience caused by delays and cancellations is gradually being addressed, and the focus is on ensuring that flight schedules are back on track. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical role that technology plays in the aviation sector and the importance of preparedness to handle unforeseen disruptions.
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