Technology interruptions impact Memphis Airport, local agencies

UPDATE: Memphis International Airport released the following statement, “Airlines have resumed operations at MEM following this morning’s global technology issue, though schedules could continue to be affected throughout the day.”

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis International Airport and Memphis Police Department, as well as banks, airlines, and computer systems are experiencing technology interruptions after a tech outage impacting many using Microsoft 365 apps and services.

According to Microsoft, an antivirus software update was responsible for bringing down numerous IT systems globally, including those in the Mid-south.

Flights were delayed or canceled due to a global Microsoft outage caused by its cybersecurity firm – CrowdStrike.

More information regarding airline waivers can be found below,

• Delta Airlines
• American Airlines
• United Airlines

A few of the computers also seemed to be down and were displaying a Microsoft recovery screen. Lines at the check-in points were also moving slower than usual.

According to CrowdStrike , the outage was caused by a defect found in an update for Windows users. The company says the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack.

Officials with Microsoft and CrowdStrike say they are working to fully resolve the issue for all their users. However, travelers trying to reach their next destination say the damage is already done.

“I’ve been sitting here since 4:30 this morning,” said Koby Harris, Flying with United Airlines.

Mykesia Gholar is a pediatric ICU Travel Nurse scheduled to fly out of Memphis at 9:47 this morning to make her next shift in New Jersey.

“After I got here, that’s when I got a text message and a notification because the app was down, the kiosks were down. I couldn’t even self-check myself,” Gholar said.

Since her flight is canceled, she has to miss out on an entire day of work.

“I have to fly out tomorrow to Laguardia Airport which is in New York,” Gholar said. “It’s two hours away from where I’m supposed to be staying. So, catch a train and then try to make my shift.”

Another man says his day was already off to a rocky start before he even left his hotel.

“Someone broke into like 10 to 15 cars in the parking lot. Smashed some windows. So, we had to wait there while the police investigated, and then we came here and I checked my app to make sure things were on time, and the app wasn’t updating properly,” said Maurio Mastro Berardino, trying to get home to Pittsburg.

According to FlightAware , as of 11 a.m., more than two thousand within, into, or out of the U.S. have been canceled and more than five thousand have been delayed.

MEM Airport tweeted the following:
“A global technology issue has affected airlines serving @flymemphis this morning. Please check with your airline before traveling today, and plan to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your departure time. Your airline will have the most updated info on scheduling.”

Microsoft 365 stated on social media that it was “investigating an issue impacting users’ ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services.”

American, Delta, and United Airlines said all pending flight departures were grounded.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is “closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops for their fleets until the issue is resolved. The FAA continues to work closely with airlines as they work to resume normal operations. Ground stops and delays will be intermittent at various airports as the airlines work through residual technology issues. Please contact the airlines for more information and monitor www.fly.faa.gov for real-time airspace updates.”

The Memphis Police Department stated their systems are also being affected, however, it is not impacting their ability to police. “Our radios are still working. We are still answering calls. And officers are being dispatched to calls for service. It is not impacting our ability to take care of our citizens,” they told WREG.

The city’s IT department has identified solutions and is working to establish full capacity on all critical systems. They anticipate being able to do so within the next few hours.

According to the Shelby County Mayor’s Office, “As a result of the outage, there may be some indirect experience connection issues to IT services impacted by the global tech outage. The resolution of this event is being managed by external, but our experts in Shelby County Information Technology Services are working diligently to ensure services are available.”

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says, “Due to the global technology outage, local Driver Services Centers may be unable to process transactions. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security will provide updates as information becomes available. We apologize for the inconvenience the outage has caused.”

FedEx released a statement saying, “FedEx has activated contingency plans to mitigate impacts from a global IT outage experienced by a third-party software vendor. However, potential delays are possible for package deliveries with a commitment of July 19, 2024. FedEx is committed to providing the best service possible. Please continue to check the Service Alerts page for updates. For specific shipment status information, please track your shipment at fedex.com. Residential recipients can enroll in FedEx Delivery Manager to stay informed of their shipment’s progress.”

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