Global IT outage impacting travel out of Philadelphia International Airport

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A wave of internet technology outages swept across the globe overnight, upending operations at airports worldwide.

The trouble began with an update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.

The outage is affecting computers running Microsoft Windows. It was not a security incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which said a fix was on the way.

Still, the outage impacted millions of people and caused chaos at airports by Friday morning.

The impact includes flights out of Philadelphia International Airport, where there was a lot of uncertainty as airlines scrambled to get caught up.

The impact could last for several days.

“It’ll be a long-lasting issue, throughout the weekend most likely. So definitely be patient and check in with your airline,” said airport spokesperson Heather Redfern.

Latest Updates from Airlines

Philadelphia International Airport posted a message to social media Friday morning telling passengers to anticipate delays and cancellations.

“Please check with your airline for the latest flight status information before heading to the airport,” the statement reads.

American Airlines says it is back to normal operations after earlier asking the FAA for a global ground stop on all flights amid global IT outages.

The airline said it has issued a travel waiver for customers.

United Airlines said some flights were resuming Friday morning, but customers should expect disruptions throughout the day.

Delta has resumed some flight departures as well, but also cautioned passengers about possible delays. Delta also said it is issuing travel waivers for all customers who have booked flights for Friday.

Allegiant, Frontier and Spirit have canceled their ground stops.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said there is no impact to its services.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said in a post on X that they are monitoring the technical issues impacting airlines. They are also reminding travelers that they have “flight rights,” which is a tool that is meant to help consumers navigate airlines’ responsibilities for passengers.

Delays caused by IT outage leave passengers frustrated

Passengers who checked bags but couldn’t board their flights don’t know where their luggage will end up.

There was a lot of uncertainty as airlines scrambled to get caught up.

“I have a handwritten boarding pass. They literally have to write it down like from the 50s or whatever,” said Charles Keezengwa of Allentown.

It appears that passengers on nearly every airline at the Philadelphia International Airport were frustrated due to a lack of communication.

“I’m confused about Frontier. They’re good about sending an email. They didn’t send no email, no text. I could’ve made other arrangements to get back to Florida,” said Sister Quin of Orlando.

“I got here about an hour and a half ago – been standing in this long line with no information from Spirit. I got most of my information from Delta and some information from you as well,” Daniel Ochacher of Florence, New Jersey told Action News reporter Corey Davis.

Ochacher says the wait got longer and now he’s missing a funeral since the outage also affected mobile apps.

“My app can load but I can’t get my boarding pass. All I need is my boarding pass to get up there. I just brought a backpack,” he said.

Others were deciding whether to drive all the way to Florida for a family reunion.

“It’s very aggravating but there’s nothing we can do,” said Gloria Frazer of Delran, New Jersey. “I’m really excited to see my cousins, all my aunts, my uncles.”