Global Cyber Outage Disrupts European Airports, Causes Flight Delays

A global cyber outage has disrupted operations at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and Brussels Airport, affecting flight schedules. The issue stems from a malfunction in the Microsoft Azure system, impacting airlines' baggage check-in. The outage is not linked to a cyber security threat, according to Australian authorities.

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs, is facing significant disruptions due to a global cyber outage, a spokesperson announced on Friday.

'The outage has an impact on flights flying from and to Schiphol,' the spokesperson said, noting that the number of affected flights remains unclear. Belgian media reported similar issues at Brussels Airport.

'It concerns a malfunction of the Microsoft Azure system, which many airlines use to check in baggage,' Brussels Airport told Belgian broadcaster VRT. The airport is now using alternative software, potentially causing longer check-in queues. U.S. software firm Crowdstrike acknowledged reports of crashes related to Microsoft's Windows operating system and its Falcon sensor in a phone message.

Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator, Michelle McGuinness, stated there is no evidence suggesting the outage is a cyber security incident in a post on X.

(With inputs from agencies.)