Microsoft has announced that a configuration change in Azure caused a significant global outage, disrupting Microsoft 365 services. The impact has been particularly severe at Indian airports, where the Azure outage has caused widespread IT disruptions, affecting aviation operations.
Social media platforms are inundated with frustrated users unable to access services from several airlines. As a result of this outage, major carriers such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet have resorted to manual processes, using pen and paper to issue boarding passes to passengers. This unexpected turn of events has significantly impacted travelers, prompting delays and cancellations.
The headline “Azure Configuration Change Triggers Major Airport Disruption” is clear but could be slightly more specific to capture the full scope of the issue. Here’s a refined version:
Azure Configuration Change Sparks Disruptions at Airports in India
Delhi and Bengaluru airports in India have confirmed the operational challenges caused by the IT outage. “Some services at the airport were temporarily impacted due to the global IT outage,” stated Delhi Airport authorities. Similarly, Bengaluru Airport reported disruptions affecting airline operations of IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Air India Express.
In response to the crisis, Ashwini Vaishnaw, India’s Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology, has assured that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) is working closely with Microsoft and its partners to resolve the issue.
“The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. NIC network is not affected”, said minister Vaishnaw.
IndiGo, one of India’s largest domestic airlines, acknowledged the issue, stating, “Our systems across the network are impacted by an ongoing issue with Microsoft Azure, which has resulted in increased wait times at our contact centers and airports.”
The Cyber Express contacted IndiGo to verify the cause of the airline’s outage. IndiGo confirmed that the disruption is related to issues with its cloud server software and its software provider. “The airline is closely monitoring the situation and any further decisions regarding flight operations will be made based on updates from its cloud service provider. A dedicated team has been deployed to address these technical challenges and minimize disruptions. IndiGo is committed to ensuring the safety and comfort of its customers and is making every effort to resolve the issue with utmost priority and urgency”, noted IndiGo.
Another Indian airline, SpiceJet, has acknowledged the technical issues, stating, “SpiceJet is ensuring that all its flights scheduled for today will depart. We are working closely with airports and relevant authorities to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety and comfort of our passengers. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.”
The airline assured passengers of its ongoing efforts to resolve the issue quickly, stressing the importance of patience and cooperation during this challenging period.
Air India Express also faced disruptions, with passengers reporting delays and uncertainties due to digital system outages. “Digital systems impacted temporarily due to the current Microsoft outage resulting in delays,” the airline confirmed in a statement. The incident highlighted the reliance of modern air travel on digital infrastructure and the vulnerabilities exposed by technical malfunctions.
Vistara, another major airline affected by the IT outage, reassured passengers of their proactive approach to addressing the issue. “We are working with our service provider to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” the airline stated
Stranded passengers have taken to social media to express their frustrations. One passenger lamented, “Stuck at Dubai airport for over an hour now. Check-in servers down, no movement in sight. Frustrating to start to travel.” This sentiment was echoed by others facing similar predicaments across different airports in India.
Akasa Air also stated the disruption: “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.” The airline urged passengers to arrive early at airports for manual check-in and boarding processes.
CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor at the Center of Global IT Outage
The Azure outage coincides with a global IT crisis caused by CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor, which has led to widespread disruptions and the notorious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error affecting users worldwide. Whether Azure’s outage is partially linked to CrowdStrike’s issue is not clear. We will update the article once we get responses from Microsoft and CrowdStrike.
CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, acknowledged the reports of a widespread outage and promptly identified a technical issue within its Falcon Sensor as the root cause of the Windows BSOD incidents.
Users and corporate entities affected by the glitch have taken to social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and LinkedIn to vent their frustrations and share their experiences with the technical disruption.
In response to the incident, CrowdStrike assured affected users of ongoing updates and troubleshooting efforts. “CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor,” the company confirmed in a statement. The cybersecurity firm advised users not to open support tickets but assured them of continuous updates until a complete resolution was achieved.
The impact of the Falcon Sensor glitch extended beyond individual users to major corporations and critical infrastructure such as airports and financial institutions. Delta Airlines, for instance, experienced operational disruptions in Atlanta due to the same issue, highlighting the widespread implications of the technical malfunction.
Engineers at CrowdStrike have diligently worked to identify and revert content deployments responsible for the BSOD errors linked to csagent.sys. Users encountering crashes are advised to follow specific troubleshooting steps, including booting into Safe Mode and accessing Command Prompt to resolve the issue.