Global Microsoft outage affects Cebu Pacific, AirAsia Philippines

A global IT system outage is affecting the operations of major local airlines on Friday afternoon.

Cebu Pacific issued an advisory about a system downtime due to a Microsoft outage.

“Cebu Pacific advises its passengers that it is currently experiencing technical issues, reportedly related to technology provider CrowdStrike, which caused a global Microsoft system outage,” the airline said.

“This is a developing situation,” Cebu Pacific said.

The Gokongwei-led airline said the technical issue compelled the company to handle affected processes manually, potentially causing delays.

“We are working closely with our teams to mitigate disruptions to our operations and will provide regular updates as the situation progresses. We appreciate your patience and understanding,” Cebu Pacific said.

AirAsia Philippines likewise disclosed that a global outage affecting Microsoft services has been confirmed by its partner, Navitaire.

“This outage is causing unexpected rebooting of machines, leading to some operational disruptions related to check-in processes and navigating the AirAsia MOVE app,” AirAsia Philippines communications and public affairs head Steve Dailisan said.

Microsoft is currently investigating the issue and has escalated the matter internally while also seeking external assistance to manage the situation effectively, according to AirAsia Philippines.

"AirAsia Philippines is closely monitoring the situation and is in constant communication with Navitaire and Microsoft. Our top priority is to minimize any impact on our guests and ensure that all systems are restored to full functionality as soon as possible," Dailisan said.

“As this is a developing situation, guests are advised to visit @flyairasiaph social media platforms and airasia newsroom and through their registered mobile phones and email accounts for timely flight updates,” he said.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines, meanwhile, is not affected by the global IT outage.

“Philippine Airlines is not affected,” PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.

The Manila International Airport Authority reported system issues caused by a cyber incident that affected the two local airlines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

According to a statement on Friday, cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike confirmed that Blue Screen of Deaths (BSODs) caused system crashes on Microsoft’s Windows operating systems.

“A global cyber disruption is currently impacting critical services including flights, banking, and company operations in various countries such as Singapore, the United States, and Australia. This disruption, linked to Microsoft's Windows, appears to be related to an issue with cybersecurity software from CrowdStrike,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the MIAA has opened extended queues and provided "Malasakit Kits" to affected passengers.

Terminal managers have also been directed to monitor close developments and offer assistance to affected individuals.  

As of 4 p.m., international carriers reportedly remain unaffected. —VBL/NB, GMA Integrated News