Flight Chaos Set to Worsen After Global IT Glitch
Travellers brace for more delays and cancellations this weekend after a massive global IT outage wreaked havoc across multiple sectors. The disruption has hit air travel, healthcare, and finance, leaving airports and passengers scrambling.
Massive Disruption at UK Airports
On Friday alone, 167 flights departing UK airports were axed, with another 171 inbound services affected. The chaos was triggered by a botched update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which caused a worldwide meltdown of Microsoft Windows PCs.
Airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Belfast International saw their systems grind to a halt, forcing manual check-ins and piled-up queues.
Passenger Warning: Check Before You Travel
Gatwick Airport said:
“Our IT systems are now back to normal, and most flights will run as scheduled tomorrow. However, expect delays and cancellations this evening and over the weekend. Passengers must check with their airline for the latest updates.”
Manchester Airport added:
“Manual check-in and boarding are causing longer queues. Some flights may be cancelled at short notice due to the global IT outage impact.”
Huge Impact Beyond Aviation
Globally, 5,078 flights—around 4.6% of all scheduled—were cancelled on Friday, according to aviation analyst Cirium.
The National Pharmacy Association warned medicine deliveries and pharmacy services will stay disrupted through the weekend, adding strain on already stretched healthcare.
Experts Say Recovery Could Take Weeks
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologised, clarifying the outage wasn’t a cyberattack but a “sensor configuration” error. Although the problem’s fixed, full system recovery will take time.
Adam Leon Smith from BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, warned:
“The fix needs rolling out to millions of computers worldwide. Blue screens and endless error loops may continue for days or even weeks.”
Professor Ciaran Martin, founding chief of the National Cyber Security Centre, said:
“Some industries can bounce back fast, but aviation faces big backlogs. Still, serious issues should ease within a week.”
Beware of Scams as Systems Recover
With recovery underway, experts urge vigilance against scams flooding in. CrowdStrike’s Kurtz stressed the need to deal only with official sources and stay alert to suspicious emails and messages. The NCSC has already spotted a surge in phishing linked to the outage.
What This Means for You
Passengers are advised to keep tabs on official airline and airport updates before heading out. This IT meltdown exposes just how fragile our tech-dependent world is—and how one faulty update can bring entire sectors to their knees.
