Worldwide IT outages cause chaos at the start of the holidays
Total breakdown at BER!!
At the start of the Berlin summer holidays in 2024, numerous flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport were canceled. Additionally, delays were the order of the day. But what caused this chaos and what can passengers do?
The reason for the numerous cancellations and delays was computer-related IT failures. The technical problems caused such massive chaos that many passengers had to wait for their flights late into the night or even had to seek emergency accommodation in nearby hotels. The IT problem was worldwide and also caused major issues in hospitals, banks, supermarkets, and many other institutions. Other airports, such as Düsseldorf, Cologne-Bonn, and Nuremberg, also suffered from the situation and reported problems.
What can passengers do on-site?
It is advisable to do the following: Once passengers have arrived at the airport and flights are significantly delayed or even canceled, it is most helpful to immediately visit the counter of the respective airline and inquire about immediate measures, further steps, and seek advice from the airline. We advise against waiting in the queue of a hotline phone, as the systems are often so overloaded in emergency situations that it is difficult to get through.
Often, the airline staff on-site are more knowledgeable about internal affairs, and the communication line to the passenger is therefore shorter. Official statements are also regularly published online and announced at the airport. Thus, having an attentive ear and keeping a watchful eye are the most important tips. A direct contact person can usually help immediately and, if necessary, book reroutes or provide transportation. For passengers who feel uncomfortable with the situation, a direct contact person on-site also provides additional security to calmly endure the situation. Staying calm is key. Passengers can rely on the airport and airlines to provide solutions as quickly as possible.
If, for example, the flights are part of a package holiday booked online or through a travel agency, the passenger should contact the company through which the entire trip was booked. The tour operator also has a direct connection to airlines, providers, hotels, and possibly the transfer to the destination. Therefore, they can act more quickly. In the case of a package holiday, the responsibility for a solution actually lies with the tour operator. Thus, a package holiday passenger is often well-protected.
What rights does a passenger have in case of delay or flight cancellation?
Airlines are generally required to refund the ticket price or offer an alternative flight. Depending on the waiting time at the airport, airlines must also provide passengers with beverages and meals or hotel/accommodation options if the wait extends overnight.
Am I entitled to compensation as a passenger?
There are cases where the waiting time exceeds 3 hours. From this point on, compensation must be paid. However, this only applies if there is no force majeure. The amount of the compensation depends on the departure and destination locations and the planned flight time. In this regard, airlines usually provide the most specific information.
Many passengers are now questioning whether the IT outages can legally be considered force majeure. We have researched and can report the following: So-called "extraordinary circumstances," commonly referred to as "force majeure," include natural disasters or terrorist activities. Currently, there are no legally binding decisions on computer-related outages, and the issue is causing much debate. A final judgment is yet to be awaited. A cyberattack is currently not confirmed.
Facts and Figures!
Air traffic has already normalized since last Saturday. The IT problems were traced back to a faulty update and are not a cause for concern in the future. The security program Crowdstrike caused Microsoft applications to crash, which then triggered the entire IT disruption. A total of 113 flights were canceled, including 51 arrivals and 62 departures. Additional flights were also relocated as a precaution to alleviate the IT load and prevent prolonged issues on site. This strategy was successful, and we can report that air traffic is currently operating smoothly.
To further relieve the systems, the night flight ban was lifted last Saturday. Some airlines were allowed to take off after midnight and finally land at their destinations with delays. Nineteen flights were fortunate to benefit from this special regulation. Despite the apparent chaos, the situation at BER itself was described as calm and relaxed by press spokespeople. On Saturday, 70,000 passengers were still present at BER. However, according to statistics, this is less than on peak days at the airport, even though it was the first holiday weekend for Berlin and Brandenburg.
What happens next?
The servers, computers, and systems are currently being critically monitored and adjusted to prevent such issues from occurring again.
Fortunately, we were not affected by the IT disruption, and operations at McParking continued as normal.
A week after the start of the holidays, everything is back to normal at BER, and we wish you a relaxing start to your vacation. As part of your travel planning, be sure to check out the services offered by McParking!
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