Is your flight delayed? Airports and airlines issue updates after mass IT outage causes travel chaos around the world

19 July 2024, 14:32 | Updated: 19 July 2024, 15:02

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Airports across the world are continuing to experience disruption after a mass IT outage crashed computer systems earlier this morning.

It is already the busiest day for airports since 2019, with delays and cancellations expected to last several days.

Earlier this morning, passengers reported seeing 'Blue Screens of Death' everywhere at London Heathrow Airport, where delays and cancellations are still taking place.

Read below to see the latest statements from each airport and airline.

Ryanair

A statement posted by Ryanair at 2pm confirms the airline has had to cancel a "small number of flights". The airline has already sent some passengers home from Gatwick Airport.

Their check-in systems are back online, however.

It reads: "Unfortunately, we’ve been forced to cancel a small number of flights today (19 July) due to this Global 3rd party IT outage.

Affected passengers have been notified and are advised to log into their myRyanair account once systems are back online to see their options. 

"A full list of cancellations is available at http://ryanair.com. If your flight has been cancelled, we kindly request that you leave the airport as the IT outage means we cannot currently assist passengers at the airport.

"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this Global 3rd party IT outage, and we are working hard to minimise disruption and keep passengers informed."

easyJet

The latest statement from easyJet reads: "The global Microsoft IT outage is causing longer than usual customer service centre wait times and responses. We recommend that if you’d like to make changes to your booking, please go to Manage Bookings.

"We advise all customers due to fly with us to check the status of their flights on Flight Tracker at www.easyjet.com/en/flight-tracker for real-time information and to expect longer than usual queues at airports.

"Customers who are currently at the airport should continue to follow the information provided by Ground Crew.

"While these circumstances are outside of our control, we are sorry for any difficulty or inconvenience caused by this and we would like to reassure you that we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact of the disruption."

British Airways

Passengers flying with British Airways are being advises to head to their flight status page for the most up-to-date information on your flight.

"We apologise for any potential impact to your travel plans. If you have a connecting flight as part of the same ticket and there’s a chance you may miss your connection, we'll automatically rebook your onward journey," their statement reads.

WizzAir

Meanwhile, WizzAir customers have been advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight due to the global IT outage.

As of the latest update, WizzAir's website and mobile applications are down, as is their booking and online check-in systems.

Jet2

Jet2's latest statement confirms their systems are not affected, but points out many airports' systems will be.

"We are aware of a large-scale IT outage which is affecting computer systems. Whilst our systems are not directly affected, certain airports and some of our 3rd party suppliers across the network are," it reads.  

"As a result, we are experiencing check-in and boarding system issues in some airports. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will provide updates accordingly.  

"Please continue to check the Jet2.com website for information regarding your flight."

London Heathrow

A spokesperson for London Heathrow posted on Twitter at 1pm: "We continue to work with our airport colleagues to minimise the impact of the global IT outage on passenger journeys.

"Flights continue to be operational and passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest flight information."

London Gatwick

The latest update from London Gatwick came around two hours ago.

It read: "The global Microsoft issues continue to impact some airlines' check-in systems and security, including eGates.

"We advise passengers to check with their airline for the latest updates regarding their flight."

There is some slightly better news regarding the Gatwick Express, which had experience severe disruption earlier on.

A spokesperson for the travel service reads: "Whilst we are still having some issues, access to our key systems have been restored meaning we are now working to restore the service timetable.

"There are still some delays on the network however, so please continue to check your journey before travelling and allow extra travel time."

Birmingham Airport

As is the case with other airports across the UK, Birmingham Airport's advice for passengers is to check with passengers.

Its latest statement reads: "The majority of flights are operating as normal. However, some check ins are experiencing delays which are being processed by colleagues.

"For those that have checked in online previously are unaffected.

"This is clearly a rapidly evolving situation. Customers should follow the advice from airlines and we will continue to update passengers throughout the day."

Manchester Airport

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: “Global IT problems are continuing to affect some of our airlines,” a statement from Manchester Airport posted around 30 mins ago reads.

“That means some processes like check-in and boarding for the affected airlines are being carried out manually and are taking longer than usual.

“This is resulting in some queues at check-in. Our Resilience Team and customer service colleagues are on hand to help passengers. The majority of flights operating from the airport are unaffected.

“The ongoing issue means there could be some knock-on effects to flights later in the day so passengers should continue to check the status of their flights with their airlines before they leave for the airport and should follow their airlines’ advice about the best time to arrive.

“We also advise checking up-to-date travel advice as some train services have also been affected by the issues.”

London Luton & London Stansted

“The airport remains fully operational though some airline and retail partner systems continue to be impacted by the global IT issue,” a spokesperson for London Luton said.

“Our advice to passengers is to check with their airlines for flight updates and for guidance on the best time to arrive at the airport.

“Passengers travelling to the airport by rail are also advised to check the latest travel advice from rail companies as some services may be affected.”

Liverpool Airport

The latest statement from Liverpool Airport reads: "A worldwide IT outage is affecting check-in at Liverpool John Lennon Airport and some airlines have reverted to a manual check-in process.

"Flights are still operating as usual and we are currently advising passengers to turn up to the airport as normal. Please check with your airline for any updates."

Newcastle Airport

A spokesperson for the airport said: "The ongoing global IT outage is affecting the systems of some of our business partners.

"The Airport is currently operating as normal and we will be working closely with our business partners to try to keep any disruption to a minimum.

"We recommend passengers keep in contact with their airlines or view the arrivals / departures board on the Airport website for the latest flight information."

Edinburgh Airport

East Midlands Airport passengers react to global IT outage delays

The latest update from Edinburgh Airport advises people to check with their airlines.

A spokesperson said: "Passengers should continue to check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport.

"Anyone whose flight is cancelled is asked to please leave the airport and contact their airline directly."

Our reporter at the scene in Edinburgh, Alan Zycinski, says queues at the airport are "almost non-existent".

Pat, who was waiting in the queue at Edinburgh Airport, is travelling to Belfast. She said she hasn’t been given any information. “Edinburgh Airport should be ashamed of themselves," she said

“What on earth is going on here? It’s ridiculous.

“I’ve travelled all around the world and I’ve never seen anything like it.” She added the airport should “get their act together”.

Glasgow Airport

The latest statement from Gatwick Airport reads: "We are largely unaffected by the current global IT issues. At present a small number of airlines have moved to manual check-in and some retailers are only accepting cash payments.

"There is likely to be a knock-on impact due to issues elsewhere which could result in some delays later in the day. We would advise passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport."