Tech outage affects flights on busiest day

A global tech outage sent shockwaves through the aviation industry, disrupting air travel on what was already the busiest day for UK departures this year

As schools break up for summer holidays, more than 3,214 flights were scheduled to take off from the UK on Friday, marking the highest number of daily departures since October 2019.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported 1,396 flight cancellations globally by midday on Friday due to the tech outage. Tracking site FlightAware counted over 18,000 delays worldwide.

At UK airports, 52 departing flights and 51 arrivals were canceled by Friday lunchtime. The UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow, experienced delays of up to 48 minutes on average.

easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Jet2.com, and Tui were among the airlines impacted by the IT outage. EasyJet, with its record number of summer flights, faced delays at Gatwick, its busiest UK base.

While Heathrow implemented contingency plans to minimise disruptions, passengers faced issues like canceled flights, delays, and cash-only payments at retail outlets.

American Airlines temporarily grounded its fleet until around 6 am on Friday. FlightAware reported 48 cancellations in the US and 215 delays.

East Midlands Airport also experienced disruption on what officials anticipated to be its busiest day of the year.

The tech outage highlights the need for robust cyber resilience in aviation. As travelers navigate these challenges, airlines and airports must prioritise communication, adaptability, and contingency planning to mitigate disruptions.