**Hyderabad:**
A total of 37 flights were canceled from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad on Friday. This included 20 departures and 17 arrivals. The cancellations were due to a worldwide technical glitch in Microsoft systems.
The affected flights were heading to various destinations such as Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad, among other places. Many passengers had to wait in long queues to get their boarding passes, which were issued manually due to the system outage.
The RGIA issued an advisory to passengers. It read, “Due to the global IT outage, services of airlines have been impacted. We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimize the inconvenience to our flyers. You may please get in touch with the airline concerned for updates on your flight information.”
One passenger, Akshay Kothari, shared his experience on social media. He posted a picture of his hand-written boarding pass and said, “The Microsoft/CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today.”
The Civil Aviation Minister, Rammohan Naidu, also issued a statement. He mentioned that the Airport Authority of India (AAI) was actively managing the situation using manual methods to ensure minimal disruption.
Naidu added, “I have directed airport authorities and airlines to be compassionate and provide extra seating, water, and food for passengers affected by delays. We understand your concerns and are working tirelessly to ensure your safe and swift travel. Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated.”
