GLOBAL IT OUTAGE GROUNDS FLIGHTS AND GRINDS TRANSPORTATION TO A HALT -- REPORTS

MOSCOW, July 19 (Bernama-Sputnik) -- The operations of airlines and logistics companies worldwide have been thrown into disarray following a major IT system outage, resulting in significant delays and flight cancellations.

According to Sputnik, United Kingdom’s Edinburgh Airport warned passengers on Friday about the failure of its IT system.

"An IT system outage means wait times are longer than usual at the airport. This outage is affecting many other businesses, including airports. Work is ongoing to resolve this and our teams are on hand to assist where we can. Passengers are thanked for their patience," the airport announced on X.

Govia Thameslink Railway, the UK's largest railway operator, also reported being affected by a computer glitch.

"We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network. Our IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations," the operator said on X.

In Sweden, Swedavia, which operates the country's ten busiest airports, warned passengers of a technical glitch impacting their operations. Berlin Airport earlier announced the suspension of flights until 8 GMT due to a technical malfunction.

The disruption has also affected several airlines. United Airlines in the US confirmed to Sputnik that the system outage has led to all its aircraft being held at departure airports, with restoration efforts underway.

German airline Lufthansa announced possible restrictions on accessing profiles and bookings, while Dutch airline KLM reported being forced to suspend most of its operations due to the global IT glitch.

Ryanair, based in Ireland, advised passengers to arrive at airports at least three hours before their scheduled departure due to the outage.

Meanwhile, almost all Spanish airports have been affected by the computer system failure, as confirmed by an employee at Barcelona Airport.

However, not all airports have been impacted. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority told Sputnik on Friday that its airports are operational, although it advised passengers to contact individual airlines for information about flight groundings.

"For information and details about this computer issue and flight groundings, please reach out to the airlines and the FAA. Our airports are operational, but we encourage passengers to contact their airlines for flight information," the press office stated.

Similarly, Zurich Airport informed Sputnik that it has not been affected by the global IT disruption but recommended that passengers keep in touch with airlines for updates.

As the situation develops, affected passengers and businesses continue to hope for a swift resolution to the widespread IT issues.

--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK