A massive global tech outage caused by a software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted numerous industries, including aviation, on July 22, 2024. The outage affected Microsoft Windows operating systems and left many corporations without access to their systems. Delta Air Lines was hit particularly hard by the incident, with over 3,500 flights canceled or delayed between Friday and Monday.
The tech issue occurred on the busiest travel weekend of the summer, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports around the world. Delta CEO Ed Bastian apologized to customers for the inconvenience and noted that one of their crew tracking-related tools was affected by the system outage.
Delta offered travel waivers to all customers booked on flights between Friday and Sunday, allowing them to change their flights once for free. The airline also provided meal vouchers, hotel accommodation, and transportation where available.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg singled out Delta for continued disruptions and unacceptable customer service as it canceled another 1,300 flights on Monday. He warned the carrier to provide adequate assistance and refunds to its customers.
The tech outage affected numerous industries, including healthcare service providers, delivery companies, retailers, financial institutions, and airlines. Hospitals were forced to turn away patients due to the disruption in their systems. Delivery companies were unable to process orders or track packages. Retailers reported issues with their point-of-sale systems.
CrowdStrike identified and fixed the software issue causing the outage, but some systems took hours to be back up and running.
The incident highlights the importance of having contingency plans in place for potential tech disruptions. Companies should consider implementing redundant systems or backup power sources to minimize downtime during an outage.