After a Microsoft issue, travelers are experiencing lengthy lines to check in for flights, abrupt train disruptions and pharmacy system damage.
Flight operation disrupted
Due to a worldwide IT failure on what was supposed to be the busiest day for travel since the beginning of the pandemic, passengers have reported “bedlam” at UK airport check-ins, and train networks have also been affected.
Over 1,000 flights have been canceled globally due to a Microsoft Windows system outage. Outage impacted airports, airlines, and certain air traffic control systems.
All flights were briefly stopped by several US airlines, including American Airlines and Delta. While Swiss air traffic had to reduce flights by 30%. The Dutch airline KLM declared that flight handling was “impossible” and that it would mostly suspend operations on Friday morning. There were other reports of issues in Australia, Japan, and India.
The largest commuter rail network in the UK, GTR, said that its Thameslink and Southern trains were disrupted owing to communications systems failing. London Gatwick and Luton were among the hubs where airline check-in systems were affected.
According to Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, the department is “working at pace with industry and across government on the issue.”
At the UK’s second busiest airport, Gatwick, a traveler said that he had been in file for over three and a half hours at check-in. On what was predicted to be the warmest day of the year thus far in the UK, workers were giving water to people in queue.
British Airways reported that the outage has “caused issues across our operational systems,” making some of its flights “likely to experience disruption.”
Luton Airport reported lengthy lines, and Edinburgh Airport reported worse wait times. Although flights were continuing and Heathrow was “implementing contingency plans to minimize any impact” on travel, the disruption was “impacting select systems,” according to the airport.
Rail IT issue
There were “widespread IT issues across the entire network” on the trains, according to the National Rail website. It stated: “The inability of certain train operators to obtain driver diagrams at particular locations may result in short-notice train cancellations. Real-time customer information platforms and other important systems are also impacted.
A representative for the Rail Delivery Group expressed apologies for any inconvenience that may have been caused to customers during their travels today. Customers can get the most recent information directly from rail employees as most trains are still operating throughout the nation.
Due to IT problems, South Western Railway reported that all of its ticket vending machines had stopped operating.
Great Western Railway, TransPennine Express, West Midlands Trains, and Avanti West Coast were among the other operators impacted.
NHS IT outage
It has been reported by the NHS that the global IT outage has affected the majority of GP practices in England.
Pharmacist services like obtaining prescriptions have also been impacted, and general practitioners have been having trouble accessing their record systems, which include online bookings.
In addition to causing lengthy lines at UK airports, the IT outage also caused some TV channels to go off the air.
According to cyber security firm Crowdstrike, a “defect” in a “content update” was the reason behind the worldwide IT problems.
“A spokesperson for NHS England said, “The majority of general practitioner practices are facing disruptions as a result of a worldwide IT outage and an issue with the appointment and patient record system, EMIS, which the NHS is aware of.”
Until instructed otherwise, patients should show up for their appointments. Please use 111 online or by calling 111 if it’s not an emergency and only get in touch with your doctor.”
The representative went on to say that there was no known effect on emergency services or 999.
“We’re aware that services in community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today due to global IT outages,” a National Pharmacy Association spokesperson stated.
“We request that patients have patience when visiting their pharmacy.”
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