Check-In Chaos: IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa, Other Airlines Hit by Global Microsoft Outage

A major Microsoft outage on Friday caused widespread disruptions to global travel, businesses, and some stock exchanges. Airlines in India, the United States, and Australia experienced significant delays and cancellations due to check-in system failures.

Check-in Chaos

The issue stemmed from a configuration change in Microsoft Azure, impacting connectivity to downstream services like Microsoft 365. This, in turn, crippled check-in systems for airlines around the world, including domestic Indian carriers IndiGo, Akasa, and SpiceJet.

Passengers in India faced long queues and delays at airports like Mumbai, where the GoNow check-in system went down at 10.45 am IST.

Root Cause

Microsoft has attributed the preliminary root cause of the outage to a configuration change in a segment of the Azure backend workloads. This change interrupted the connectivity between storage and compute resources, resulting in failures that impacted downstream Microsoft 365 services. Microsoft is actively investigating the issue, which has hindered users’ access to various Microsoft 365 apps and services.

Impact In India

• Domestic airlines IndiGo, Akasa, and SpiceJet were heavily impacted with check-in systems down nationwide.
• Mumbai Airport reported issues with the GoNow system used by these airlines since 10.45 am.
• Both the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) remained operational, with NSE attributing minimal reliance on Microsoft applications.

Airlines on Manual Mode

Airlines responded swiftly, implementing manual check-in and boarding procedures to minimize passenger inconvenience. Akasa, SpiceJet, and IndiGo all apologized for the disruptions and assured travellers that teams were working diligently with Microsoft to resolve the issue.

Global Flight Operations Affected

Uncertainties in the US:

• Major US carriers American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines implemented ground stops on Friday morning, citing communication issues.
• The timing, following Microsoft’s resolved outage, raised questions about the connection.
• Other airlines like UAL and Allegiant Air also grounded flights, adding to the confusion.

Global Delays and Cancellations:

• Sydney Airport reported disruptions to airline operations and terminal services, with potential delays throughout the evening.
• Passengers were advised to allow extra travel time and check flight status directly with airlines.
• The Berlin airport announced delays due to technical problems, while all Spanish airports were reportedly impacted by the outage.

Travel Tips Amidst the Turbulence

As airlines navigate the fallout, travellers are advised to:

• Stay Connected: Check flight status updates directly with your airline. Don’t rely solely on airport announcements.
• Plan for Delays: Allow extra time for check-in procedures, which may be slower due to manual processing. Pack your patience!
• Be Flexible: Prepare for potential delays and cancellations. While airlines work towards a resolution, be prepared for your travel plans to be adjusted.
• Stay Informed: Stay updated on the situation through airline websites and social media channels.

Conclusion

The extensive Microsoft outage has underscored the vulnerability of global infrastructure to technical failures. As airlines and airports work diligently to restore normal operations, passengers are advised to stay informed through their airlines and airport communications for the latest updates.