Flight cancellations and delays caused by a global IT outage continued to disrupt air travel on Saturday. According to FlightAware, more than 2,800 flights were canceled, with over 2,100 of them in the United States. Additionally, more than 8,600 U.S. flights experienced delays. The previous day, over 5,000 flights worldwide were canceled, with approximately 3,400 of them in the U.S., leading to nearly 13,000 U.S. flights being delayed.
The impact of the IT outage was comparable to severe weather conditions such as winter storms or tropical storms. However, unlike weather events that can be anticipated and prepared for, airlines had no advance notice of the outage, leaving them scrambling to accommodate passengers during a busy summer weekend.
The global IT outage was triggered by a failed software update from CrowdStrike, which affected Microsoft systems for businesses worldwide. This resulted in significant disruptions not only for airlines but also for various other industries.
Amid the chaos, airlines such as Delta Air Lines and American Airlines worked to minimize the impact on their operations. Delta Air Lines saw an increase in flight cancellations from 32% on a previous day to 36% on Saturday. However, American Airlines managed to recover swiftly, canceling only 1% of its mainline operation on Saturday compared to 11% on the previous day.
American Airlines expressed gratitude to its customers for their patience and acknowledged the efforts of its team in quickly returning to normal operations after the global outage. United Airlines also reported improvements in its technology systems and reliability, although some cancellations and delays were expected to persist over the weekend.
Reimbursement for additional expenses incurred by affected passengers, such as meals or accommodations, will vary depending on each airline’s specific policy. However, regardless of the airline, customers are entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled and they choose not to travel on an alternate flight or accept a voucher.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized passengers’ rights, stating that they are entitled to a prompt refund if their flight is canceled and they opt not to rebook. Buttigieg’s statement comes in response to reports of certain airlines only offering flight credits to passengers for canceled flights.
In conclusion, the global IT outage continues to disrupt air travel, causing significant flight cancellations and delays. Despite the challenges faced by airlines, some have managed to recover quickly, while others are still working to restore normal operations. Passengers affected by cancellations have the right to receive a refund, and Transportation Secretary Buttigieg emphasizes the importance of promptly refunding customers’ money in such situations.
