A significant global IT outage on July 19, 2024, caused widespread disruptions, particularly in the aviation sector, as a software glitch linked to CrowdStrike’s security system affected Microsoft Windows operations. This incident resulted in over 2,200 flight cancellations and nearly 7,000 delays across various airports worldwide. Here are the 20 most impacted airports:
Most Affected Airports
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Heathrow Airport (LHR), London
- Dubai International Airport (DXB)
- Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Paris
- Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
- Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
- Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)
- Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
- Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Causes and Impact
The outage was primarily caused by a faulty update to CrowdStrike’s “Falcon Sensor” software, which led to Microsoft Windows crashing and resulted in a notorious “Blue Screen of Death.” This failure severely disrupted operations at airports, forcing airlines to implement manual check-in processes, resulting in long queues and handwritten boarding passes.
In the U.S. alone, major airlines such as Delta, United, and American Airlines reported significant operational challenges, with many flights grounded and delays widespread. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinated efforts to manage the situation, assisting airlines with ground stops and resuming normal operations as quickly as possible.
Recovery Efforts
Airlines began to resume operations after the initial chaos, but they warned passengers of potential ongoing delays and cancellations. Smaller carriers like Frontier Airlines identified the issue as a “major Microsoft technical outage.” The recovery involved manual interventions and close coordination with the FAA to restore functionality across the affected systems.
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As businesses and airlines worked to mitigate the impact, CrowdStrike’s leadership clarified that the incident was not a cyberattack but rather a technical failure linked to a single content update for Windows hosts. The company emphasized the importance of communication with affected organizations to address the ongoing challenges.
This outage serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of technology in global operations and the potential for widespread disruption when critical systems fail.