Home » America Travel News » UK Unites with US, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, Australia and More in New Massive IT Outages Triggering Global Travel Chaos and Disruptions
Thursday, July 31, 2025
A massive IT outage on July 30, 2025, crippled air traffic control systems in the UK, triggering widespread travel chaos and disruptions that affected global flights. The outage, which echoed similar issues on July 19, 2024, in the US, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, Australia, and other countries, caused significant delays, cancellations, and manual check-ins at major airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, and others. Airlines including British Airways, Lufthansa, Delta, and American Airlines were heavily impacted, disrupting both travel and tourism sectors. The outage’s ripple effect revealed the vulnerabilities of the global aviation network and underscored the need for stronger IT infrastructure in the travel industry.
The IT Outage Hits the UK
In the UK, the IT glitch led to immediate flight groundings at some of the country’s busiest airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester. By the afternoon, 403 flights at Heathrow had been delayed, with 21 cancellations. Gatwick also reported 266 delays and 8 cancellations. Major airlines like easyJet, British Airways, and Lufthansa were affected, as the airlines struggled to restore operations. Passengers at these airports were left stranded, with the travel chaos exacerbated by the lack of available flight options.
The issue began when radar systems in the London Control Area suffered a critical glitch, halting take-offs and landings at major airports like Heathrow and Gatwick. NATS, the body responsible for air traffic control in the UK, worked to resolve the issue within about an hour. However, airlines warned that the backlog of flights would cause delays and cancellations into the evening and beyond. As of the afternoon, 266 flights were delayed at Gatwick, and 8 flights were canceled, primarily affecting airlines like easyJet and British Airways. Heathrow reported 403 delays and 21 cancellations, including disruptions to international flights.
United States: A Major IT Failure Strikes
On July 19, 2024, the US experienced significant disruptions due to a widespread IT failure linked to the same CrowdStrike software glitch. Airlines including Delta, United, and American Airlines were forced to ground flights. Over 2,200 flights were canceled, and hundreds more were delayed. Airports like Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, New York LaGuardia, and Detroit Metro were severely impacted, with the chaos continuing well into the weekend. Delta alone canceled 7,000 flights over five days, affecting over 1.3 million passengers. The airlines requested ground stops, and travelers found themselves stuck in airports for extended periods as flight schedules were disrupted.
India: Widespread Delays and Cancellations
India also felt the brunt of the IT outages on July 19, 2024. Major airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai experienced massive delays and cancellations. Hyderabad Airport alone canceled 23 flights, including 12 departures and 11 arrivals. Airlines switched to manual check-in processes due to the system failure, and passengers were issued handwritten boarding passes. Nationally, over 200 flights were canceled, and many travelers faced long waits as the airports struggled to get operations back on track.
Germany: IT Disruptions Across Major Airports
On July 19, 2024, airports across Germany, including Berlin Brandenburg, Frankfurt, and Munich, reported significant flight delays and cancellations. The IT outage disrupted flight schedules, and airlines such as Lufthansa, Eurowings, and Ryanair had to deal with numerous cancellations and delays. The disruption led to widespread confusion, with passengers facing long lines and slow-moving check-ins as the airports switched to manual operations. The number of cancellations in Germany is not fully specified, but the disruptions were widespread across all major airports.
France: Chaos at Paris Airports
In France, the IT outage caused major disruptions at Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports. Air France, one of the country’s largest airlines, struggled to keep up with the growing backlog of passengers. The airports switched to manual check-in procedures to cope with the system failure, leading to long delays and frustration for travelers. Although specific cancellation numbers are not available, the travel disruption was felt heavily, particularly for those traveling to or from Paris.
Spain: Widespread Disruptions
Spain’s airports were also affected, with 46 airports impacted by the global IT failure. Airports in Madrid and Barcelona were the hardest hit, as Iberia and Vueling Airlines experienced cancellations and delays. The IT failure forced airports to revert to manual operations, further slowing down the flow of passengers. The total number of cancellations across Spain is not fully specified, but the disruptions were significant, affecting flights both within Spain and internationally.
Russia: Cyberattack on Aeroflot
On July 28, 2025, Russia experienced a separate cyberattack targeting Aeroflot. The attack led to over 100 cancellations and delays, affecting both domestic and international routes. The cyberattack compounded the disruption in the country’s aviation sector, which was already facing challenges due to the global IT outages. Aeroflot and other airlines in Russia scrambled to recover, and the impact of the attack rippled through international travel routes.
Australia: System Failures at Major Airports
Australia was not spared from the global IT outages. Sydney, Melbourne, and other major airports faced long delays due to system failures. Passengers were forced to use manual check-in processes as airlines like Qantas and Jetstar struggled to manage the impact of the outage. The July 2024 disruption caused significant operational challenges, leading to cancellations and delays in both domestic and international flights. Exact numbers for cancellations in Australia are not available, but the delays were widespread.
The Ripple Effect on Travel and Tourism
The IT outages caused severe disruptions not only for airlines but also for the tourism sector. Many tourists found themselves unable to travel to popular destinations due to canceled flights. The ripple effect on tourism was particularly evident during peak travel seasons, with destinations in Europe, Asia, and North America seeing fewer arrivals. Airlines and tourism-related businesses also experienced significant financial losses, and many travelers struggled to adjust their plans amidst the ongoing delays and cancellations.
Cancellations by Country Due to IT Outages
Here’s a breakdown of cancellations in each affected country:
- United States: Over 2,200 cancellations .
- United Kingdom: Approximately 400 cancellations .
- India: Over 200 cancellations .
- Germany: Cancellations not fully specified, but significant disruptions at airports .
- France: Cancellations not fully specified .
- Spain: Cancellations not fully specified, but significant disruptions at 46 airports .
- Russia: Over 100 cancellations .
- Australia: Exact cancellation numbers not available, but significant operational disruptions .
A massive IT outage on July 30, 2025, affected the UK, US, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, Australia, and more, causing widespread travel chaos. This disruption, triggered by a failure in air traffic control systems, led to significant flight cancellations and delays, impacting major airlines and the global tourism sector.
The massive IT outages in the UK, US, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, and Australia have shown the vulnerability of global air travel to technological failures. While many of these issues have been resolved, the disruptions continue to affect millions of passengers and the tourism industry. The widespread nature of the outages across multiple continents demonstrates the interconnectedness of global aviation and the need for more robust IT infrastructure and contingency plans to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
