FLIGHTMARE
More than 3,300 flights cancelled as UK airlines issue travel warning following major global Microsoft outage
And what compensation you may or may not be entitled to if your flight is cancelled
MAJOR UK airlines have issues a travel warning to passengers following to a huge worldwide tech outage.
Airlines are just one of several experiencing problems, with major companies, TV stations, newsrooms and networks all also massively affected.
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More than 3,300 flights have been cancelled globally as of 3pm today, working out to 3 per cent of all flights today.
Figures released by aviation analysts show that this is the worst possible time for the outage to happen in the UK, with this weekend (Friday 19 - Sunday 21 July 2024) set to be the busiest so far this year.
Around 100 of those affected are in the UK.
Ryanair issued a statement this morning saying that passengers could face "potential disruption" across its network today (Friday, July 19) "due to a global 3rd party system outage".
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Ryanair said that anyone whose flights would be affected would be notified, while urging other passengers to arrive at the airport early to avoid problems.
On the airline's website, a statement said: "Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling across the network on Fri 19 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight.
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- Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Suncorp, Microsoft 365, Foxtel and the ABC all among those affected
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"We advise passengers to arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions.
"We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this 3rd party IT issue, which is outside of Ryanair's control and affect all airlines operating across the network."
Wizz Air has also issued similar warnings saying "potential disruptions are expected due to ongoing 3rd party global IT system outage".
They continued: "Like all airlines today, Wizz Air is facing extreme technical challenges with the outage of 3rd party global IT systems.
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"Wizz Air customers may experience disruptions across the network with website and mobile application services temporarily unavailable."
The airline's website and mobile app aren't working, neither is its booking system, its online check-in system and display of boarding pass.
Contact Centres and new reservations and making changes to existing ones are also not working.
The airline added: "During the outage, free airport check-in is available.
"Therefore, we advise passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before their scheduled departure time to allow sufficient time for check-in, security control, and airport-specific health and safety procedures."
EasyJet has a similar message to passengers, saying: "The global Microsoft IT outage is causing longer than usual customer service centre wait times and responses."
The chaos has resulted in huge queues across the airports as well.
London Stansted Airport, Ryanair's hub in the UK, is also experiencing some problems, with some check-ins having to be done manually.
Although this has resulted in some long queues, flights are said to be operating as normal.
Flight compensation rules
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you're flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven't used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn't have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of the "extraordinary circumstances" but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can't claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you're unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
The airport is also experiencing some problems with retail payment machines.
Heathrow Airport has also told passengers to check with their airlines whether or not their flights are on schedule.
A spokesperson said: "Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow.
"Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys.
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"Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest flight information."
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Brits have also been affected abroad as well, as they try and make their way home.
Mum Jemma Wheeler, 30, said her and her family had been stuck in queues for longer than three hours at Majorca Airport.
She told the : "We only came for a five-night short break.
"We thought it was a quick, two-hour flight and we would be back in no time to enjoy the nice weather at home."
Any passengers affected by the outage are unlikely to be able to claim compensation, due to this being an "extraordinary circumstance" out of the airline's hands.
American Stephanie Thomson was forced to pay nearly $7,000 to get a flight home after being stranded at London Heathrow.
She told PA: "It was supposed to leave at 9.25am and change in Heathrow at 11am and we were supposed to get into Dallas later today.
"We couldn't get an answer from anybody. British Airways kept hanging up saying we have too many calls right now.
"I was on hold with American (Airlines) for about an hour and 10 minutes before I finally hung up.
Will my travel insurance cover me?
HOLIDAYMAKERS whose plans have been dashed are urged to check with their travel insurer to see what they are covered for.
MoneySuperMarket Travel Insurance said if a policy includes travel disruption cover - it may be possible to claim for disruption or losses incurred as a result of a trip being delayed or cancelled.
A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said: “We can appreciate that it will be very stressful for anyone whose travel plans have been impacted by the IT outage.
“If your travel insurance policy includes cover for travel disruption then costs that you might incur as a result of travel delays or cancellations, and that are not recoverable from elsewhere, should be included.
“In the first instance, refunds should be sought from the airline, accommodation provider or tour operator and any bookings made through a credit card may also have recoverable cost protection.
“If unsure, check with your travel insurer to see what you’re covered for.”
"We just paid $6,800 for a one-way trip home, hopefully leaving tonight. I didn't know what else to do. I just wanted something to get us home."
Dean Seddon, 42, from Plymouth, also told PA: "There are just people everywhere, there must be 400 people in this queue for the check in desk I'm at... it's just bedlam."
Microsoft users worldwide, including banks and other airlines, reported widespread outages hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services.
The cause, exact nature and full scale of the outage remains unclear.
Microsoft has suggested in its X, formerly Twitter, posts that the situation is improving but escalating outages were still being reported around the world hours later.
The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, as well as airlines including American Airlines and Delta in the US.
"Potential short-notice cancellations"
Elsewhere, in Japan, Tokyo's Narita airport has reported issues with airlines JetStar, Jeju Air, Qantas, HK Express and Spring Japan.
And the BBC claims that Delhi airport in India has said some services had been "temporarily impacted".
Amsterdam's Schipol airport has also been affected and said it is not yet clear how badly travel will be disrupted by the outage.
Passengers in the UK are having trouble getting to some airports, with the Gatwick Express one of several rail services to have been impacted.
The rail service posted on social media: "We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network.
"Our IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem.
"We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations, particularly on the Thameslink and Great Northern networks."
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News outlets in Australia have reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems.
Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability.
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