Microsoft outage: Airline operations face disruption; staff forced to issue manual boarding passes

MUMBAI: Indian airlines experienced technical and operational disruptions after a widespread global computer outage created chaos at airports as passenger check-ins were delayed with airlines resorting to issuing manual boarding passes.

IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air saw disruptions in their online check-in but stock exchanges and financial institutions, including banks remained unaffected by the outage.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu assured the passengers that his ministry and Airports Authority of India (AAI) are actively managing the situation using manual methods to ensure minimal disruption.

"We have instructed all airlines and airport authorities to keep passengers informed about their flight status and provide necessary assistance," Naidu said.

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said his ministry was in touch with Microsoft and added that NIC network is not affected.

In a post on X, IT Minister Vaishnaw said the reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue.

CERT is issuing a technical advisory, he wrote.

"MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage... NIC network is not affected," the minister said.

Meanwhile, CERT-In has issued an advisory on the Microsoft outage caused by Crowdstrike update, and rated its severity as "critical".

"Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted," IndiGo said in an update on X.

"We are all hands-on decks and are working to restore stability and normalcy. Our digital team is also coordinating closely with Microsoft Azure to resolve these issues swiftly," it stated.

Budget carrier Akasa said, "Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports."

The airline requested its passengers with immediate travel plans to reach airport early to check in, as a precautionary measure.

SpiceJet also said it is experiencing technical challenges with its service provider, affecting online services including booking, check-in, and managing booking functionalities.

"As a result, we have activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports," it stated.

Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw as many as 23 flights -- 12 departures and 11 arrivals -- including Indigo's flights to Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru being cancelled.

"We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers. You may please get in touch with the airline concerned for updates on your flight information. We thank you for your support and understanding," the airport, run by GMR, said in a post on social media platform X.

In Bengaluru, Indigo, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa issued handwritten boarding passes. Passengers complained of harrowing time following the disruption in flight services and were seen anxiously waiting for their delayed flights. The lounge of the KIA was overcrowded due to the disruption in flight services.

"A global outage with the Navitaire Departure Control System (NDCS) has been affecting operations of some airlines across their network, including BLR Airport since 10.40 IST on July 19, 2024," a Bangalore International Airport Ltd spokesperson said in a statement.

Indigo, Akasa, and SpiceJet in Terminal-1 and Air India Express in Terminal-2 are among the affected airlines, BIAL said, adding that the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) and Common Use Self Service (CUSS) systems are also experiencing disruptions.

"In response to this situation, Indigo, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa have taken proactive measures by initiating manual check-ins to ensure minimal disruption to passengers and flight schedules," the spokesperson said.

Country's leading stock exchanges NSE and BSE on Friday said they are not impacted due to the global outage of Microsoft systems.

Microsoft users globally, several in India, have reported massive outages in services, with outage tracking website Downdetector showing users flagging disruptions across various services.

"NSE (National Stock Exchange) and NCL (NSE Clearing Ltd) are working normal today," NSE's spokesperson said in a statement.

Separately, a BSE spokesperson said the bourse is "not impacted due to Microsoft issue. Our operations are running normal."