Digital systems play a crucial role in the operation of airports worldwide, and any disruption can cause significant chaos. The recent widespread cyber outage globally impacted multiple sectors, including airports, leading to flight delays and cancellations. Passengers traveling to and from Dubai shared their experiences, emphasizing the vulnerabilities of our reliance on digital systems. While many residents and tourists had smooth departures from Dubai, they faced substantial issues upon arrival or during transfers at other airports.
Amir Ismaili, a Canadian resident in Dubai, recounted his cousin brother's experience at Paris Airport. His cousin, Hadi, who was on a business trip in Dubai, was returning to Canada with a stopover in Paris. "Everything went smoothly at Dubai Airport Terminal 3. The flight was on time and arrived in Paris only half an hour late, but that wasn't the main issue. Upon arriving in Paris, he learned that his flight to Montreal was cancelled, forcing him to wait nearly 10 hours for another flight," Amir explained. "The entire journey took over 24 hours instead of the expected 17 hours," added Amir, who finally got in touch with his cousin at 1pm (UAE time) on July 20.
Vani Mendon, general manager at ServHub, was looking forward to a family vacation and hiking trip in Ladakh. "We arrived at DXB three hours before our flight, and everything at the airport went smoothly. However, Terminal 1 was very crowded," she shared. "Our flight was on time, and we arrived at Delhi Airport as scheduled. There was a slight delay in our connecting flight from Delhi to Ladakh," Mendon explained. "Unfortunately, other groups joining us for the hike had their flights cancelled, forcing us to postpone our acclimatization climb. However, our main Everest Base Camp climb is still on schedule," Vani added.
Similarly, travelers flying from Indian cities to the UAE reported that their flights were delayed due to system failures, and boarding passes were handwritten. UAE resident Sajay Warrier, who was flying from Chennai to Abu Dhabi on Indigo Airlines, shared his experience. "The cyber attack affected domestic flights, but international flights were still scheduled. I had to wait in line at the check-in counter for hours," Warrier said. "The long queues were due to handwritten boarding passes at the check-in counters. There were only three or four counters available for two flights—one bound for Abu Dhabi and the other for Doha," Warrier added. Warrier also mentioned that additional staff were deployed throughout the airport to assist travelers.
