Airports across Poland are grappling with the fallout from a widespread Microsoft outage, causing significant disruptions in check-in and reservation systems for various airlines. Authorities at affected airports have issued advisories to passengers, highlighting the issues and providing guidance on what to expect.
Global Microsoft Outage
According to Downdetector, a service monitoring website outages, numerous issues have been reported with Microsoft applications since Thursday night. Initially impacting the United States, the problems have since spread worldwide. Microsoft Azure, the company’s cloud platform, confirmed via social media that they are aware of the issues and are working on solutions.
In the United States, airlines such as American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Allegiant Air have had to suspend flights. European carriers, including Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, and SAS, have also reported disruptions. Swiss companies Swissguide and Swissport, responsible for flight control and airport services respectively, have been affected as well.
Impact on Polish Airports
Polish airports are among those dealing with the negative effects of the outage. Common issues include online check-in and reservation system failures, prompting airports to implement manual check-in processes. Authorities are urging passengers to arrive several hours before their scheduled flights and to stay updated on the latest information, as the situation is rapidly evolving.
Wrocław Airport’s Advisory
In response to numerous inquiries from confused passengers, Wrocław Airport issued a special statement addressing the outage. “Dear passengers, due to today’s outage of some airlines’ reservation systems, we recommend arriving at the airport early. If you encounter issues with online check-in, it can be completed directly at the airport,” the statement read.
Important Notice from Chopin Airport in Warsaw
Chopin Airport in Warsaw conveyed two key messages to passengers: “First, please regularly check the status of your flight with the airline, via mobile app or website. Second, due to the check-in system outage for Wizz Air, passengers are advised to arrive at the airport three hours before departure for check-in at the counter.”
Kraków Airport’s Update
Kraków Airport’s official profile highlighted ongoing issues with the check-in systems of some airlines due to the Microsoft outage. “Airline staff have implemented manual check-in procedures. Currently, the Microsoft outage has not caused flight disruptions from Kraków Airport. Please monitor your flight status and consider arriving several hours before your planned departure,” the statement advised.
Gdańsk Airport: “No Major Disruptions”
Gdańsk Airport reported no significant operational disruptions at this time. Authorities there have also advised passengers to check flight statuses on airline websites and the airport’s official page, and to arrive several hours before their flights.