Travelers at Southern California airports were among the millions of people affected around the globe after a Microsoft outage that began Thursday night and disrupted operations at airlines, banks, media outlets and hospitals.
Microsoft confirmed Thursday night that users could not access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. The outage was linked to a cybersecurity firm's software update on Microsoft Windows computers.
Los Angeles air and rail travel
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Departing flights from Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Long Beach Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County were temporarily grounded. Airlines asked the Federal Aviation Administration for a global ground stop on all flights, according to an alert from the FAA.
Most airport operations resumed early Friday morning. More than 3,200 flight delays were reported nationwide early Friday.
The outage appeared to primarily impact computer systems that allowed travelers to check in.
One traveler told NBCLA he was booked on a flight to Sydney that went nowhere after the outage. He found a quiet corner in the terminal and took a nap when he realized the extent of the problem.
“Two and a half hours on the tarmac, back to the terminal, and we’ve been here since then,” he said. "That's just the way it is. Can't do anything about it."
Amtrak is reporting the outage is preventing credit card transactions for its Pacific Surfliner service. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPay payments can be used to complete online reservations.
Metrolink said the outage was impacting its smartphone app, warning that passengers that they might have problems buying tickets.
Port of LA
Shipments at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach were disrupted and delayed. Video from NewsChopper4 showed hundreds of trucks waiting for hours for cargo to be released and loaded.
Health care
Kaiser Permanenete said the outage affected some of it systems.
"The global CrowdStrike IT outage that is affecting health care organizations and others across the world is also affecting some Kaiser Permanente systems," according to a statement. "We activated our national command center at 4:30 a.m. PT to address this incident, evaluate the impacts to our care operations, computer systems and servers, and coordinate recovery as needed. In some situations, we have activated backup systems to support both continuous patient care and to secure access to medical records. All Kaiser Permanente hospitals and medical offices remain open for care and service, and we are continuing to monitor our operations as we work to restore all affected systems."
Providence St. Joseph Hospital reported computer issues stemming from the outage.
Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience.
— Frontier Airlines (@FlyFrontier) July 19, 2024
The outages also affected NBC4 and other news outlet users of Microsoft. Many users encountered the dreaded "blue screen of death" at their workstations.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department told NBC4 that its system was unaffected by the outages, adding that 911 call services continue to work.
Deputy Mayor of Communications Zach Seidl issued a statement about the City of LA’s response.
“The Mayor’s Office and City Departments have been assessing impacts since late last night and will continue to monitor and address issues that arise," Seidl said. "LAPD and LAFD emergency operations have not been impacted at this time. The Mayor has been in touch with LAWA leadership, who are working actively to resolve travel issues. Travelers at LAX and other regional airports should plan ahead for potential delays.”
The Orange County Fire Authority reported that the outage temporarily affected some internal systems, but the emergency response system was not affected.
Los Angeles Superior Court officials reported significant system-wide connectivity issues. Hearings scheduled for Friday that involved remote appearances were all postponed, and parties were being notified of new dates.
About the global IT outage
The IT outage was linked to a software update on Microsoft Windows operating systems issued by Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity firm.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack. Kurtz said there was a defect in a “single content update for Windows hosts.” The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps and services.
“The system was sent an update, and that update had a bug in it,” Kurtz said.
Microsoft said it is investigating the extent of the outage.
“We're investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services,'' Microsoft said in a statement released on social media Friday morning.
