A major Microsoft outage caused disruptions around the world on Friday, affecting flights, banks, media outlets and companies.
The problems began with issues affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. These issues grew throughout the day, impacting a wide range of businesses and organizations.
Website DownDectector showed outages at Visa, ADT security, Amazon, American Airlines and Delta.
News outlets in Australia reported disruptions at airlines, telecommunications providers, banks, and media broadcasters. Similar reports came from New Zealand.
Microsoft acknowledged the issue and said they were working on a fix. However, they did not provide any details about the cause of the outage.
The situation grew more serious as airlines around the world reported major disruptions. In the US, the FAA said United, American, Delta and Allegiant were all grounded.
The UK also saw disruptions at airlines, railways, and television stations. Ryanair, TransPennine Express, Govia Thameslink Railway, and Sky News were among those affected.
Airports around the world were heavily impacted. Long lines formed at check-in counters as online services and self-service kiosks were unavailable. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and Berlin Airport both reported delays and cancellations.
The outage also caused problems for banks, including NAB, Commonwealth, Bendigo, ASB and Kiwibank.
News outlets in Australia were unable to broadcast due to computer shutdowns. Shoppers also faced issues at stores due to payment system outages.
The cause of the outage remains unclear. An unverified report suggested it might be related to Crowdstrike’s Falcon Sensor platform, but this has not been confirmed.
