The recent global technology outage on Thursday night continues to impact air travelers today, with airlines struggling to catch up. The outage, caused by a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, affected millions of devices using Microsoft, including those used by airlines, banks, and other businesses. While CrowdStrike has deployed a fix and airlines have resumed operations, there are still expected cancellations and delays throughout the day.
As of 2:30 p.m. EST, over 2,000 flights within, to, and from the U.S. have been canceled today, with more than 7,000 delays reported, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service.
If you have travel plans today, it is recommended to check your flight status frequently through your airline’s app before heading to the airport. The most up-to-date information is usually available on the airline’s app, so make sure to download it in advance for quick access to updates.
Additionally, monitoring updates from your departure airport is advised. Some airports are experiencing delays of two hours or more, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is currently the most affected airport in the U.S., with average departure delays of 374 minutes (approximately 6 hours). New York City-area airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia (LGA), are also facing significant delays.
For affected passengers traveling today or planning to travel, here are some steps you can take:
Change your flight
Several airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines, have issued waivers for passengers traveling today from specific airports. These waivers allow passengers to change their flights to another day without incurring a fare difference or change fee. However, changes to the departure or arrival airport or cabin class are not permitted.
Delta and Frontier’s waivers apply to all customers flying today, irrespective of the airport. Spirit Airlines’ waiver covers customers flying today and tomorrow.
American’s waiver is available for travelers flying to, from, or through the following airports:
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Boston, Massachusetts (BOS).
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Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT).
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Chicago-O’Hare, Illinois (ORD).
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Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (DFW).
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Los Angeles, California (LAX).
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New York-JFK, New York (JFK).
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New York-LGA, New York (LGA).
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL).
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Washington-Reagan, Washington, D.C. (DCA).
United Airlines’ waiver applies to travelers going to, from, or through the following airports:
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Newark, New Jersey (EWR).
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Frankfurt, Germany. (FRA).
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Guam, United States (GUM).
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Washington-Dulles, Washington, D.C. (IAD).
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Los Angeles, California (LAX).
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London- Heathrow, United Kingdom (LHR).
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Chicago-O’Hare, Illinois (ORD).
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San Francisco, California (SFO).
What to do if your flight is canceled
In the event of a flight cancellation, look for rebooking options promptly through the airline’s app or website. This is generally quicker than waiting for assistance from customer service agents over the phone or at the airport. Keep in mind that airlines are currently experiencing high call volumes, resulting in longer wait times.
Listed below are the cancellation policies per airline:
🤓Nerdy Tip
If you’re unable to reach a customer service agent, consider reaching out to your airline on X (formerly Twitter).
What to do if your flight is delayed
If you must travel today despite a flight delay, make yourself comfortable at the airport as you may be in for a long wait. Having a credit card with lounge access can be beneficial in this situation, providing a more comfortable place to wait amidst the crowds.
During the delay, you can work on securing flight delay compensation to cover meal expenses at the airport. Most airlines offer meal vouchers for delays exceeding three hours.
Below are the flight delay compensation policies per airline:
Other ways to get compensation
In the event of a flight cancellation or significant delay, the Department of Transportation mandates airlines to provide refunds to passengers who opt not to accept rebooking. Passengers are entitled to a refund if they choose not to travel with the original airline or decide not to travel at all.