Berlin-Brandenburg Airport traffic - IT issues are limiting flights at BER for hours
Hour-long disruptions have led to a gradual resumption of operations at Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER) around noon. A spokesperson stated, "The airport systems are back online and we are returning to normal operations." However, there are still waiting times.
Flight start significantly delayed
Due to global IT issues, many travelers were stranded at BER for hours at the beginning of their vacations. The flight operations at Schönefeld were largely shut down, as the airport announced. Departures were delayed, and some flights were reportedly canceled. "Passenger processing continued to be restricted. Departures took place with restrictions", it was reported.
Long queues in Terminal 1
In the large hall of Terminal 1, a dpa reporter reported it was very crowded in the morning. Long queues formed at the check-in counters. Airport staff distributed water. The information screens were functioning only intermittently.
It was still unclear against noon how long it would take for air traffic to resume normal operations. Initially, it was also unclear which specific systems were affected. An airport spokesperson attributed the disruptions to problems with an external service provider.
Computer problems affect air travel primarily
Worldwide, computer problems have caused widespread disruptions, primarily affecting air travel. In Germany, disruptions were reported at Hamburg Airport. The Dutch airline KLM suspended most of its operations. The disruption also affected TUI and its airline Tuifly. However, there have been no reported flight cancellations, a TUI spokesperson told dpa.
In other countries, media reports indicated that besides air travel, the operations of banks and hospitals were disrupted. The Australian government convened an emergency meeting. Sky News temporarily stopped broadcasting and displayed a static image.
In Berlin, it appeared that no major institutions were affected, according to initial reports. Both the S-Bahn and regional and long-distance train services of the Deutsche Bahn operated without IT-related restrictions.
The Berlin Transport Companies (BVG) reported that they were not directly affected. However, it could not be ruled out that there were restrictions in the distribution due to problems with service providers in the early morning.
The Berlin utilities remained unaffected, as did the eastern German transmission system operator 50Hertz.
The Berlin administration was also not affected, according to a spokesperson for the Senate Department for the Interior. "We are in constant contact with our security authorities. The security architecture functions." The neighboring Brandenburg state administration reported no IT disruptions.
No indications of cyber attack
German security sources told dpa they believed it was a technical disruption caused by a faulty software update. Media reports suggested that a glitch in a software update from IT security firm Crowdstrike could be the culprit.
- Despite the disruptions, the main airport in Berlin, Berlin Brandenburg Willy Brandt Airport (BER), is aiming to gradually return air transport to normal operations.
- The long-awaited journey for many travelers starting their vacations was significantly delayed due to IT issues at BER, causing a major disturbance in air traffic.
- The disruption at Schönefeld, a secondary airport in Berlin, also led to delays and cancellations, causing inconvenience for passengers.
- Berlin, Germany, was not reported to be significantly affected by the IT issues, with operations at the S-Bahn, Deutsche Bahn, and local utilities continuing without interruptions.
- The case of the air traffic disruptions at BER and other airports worldwide highlights the increasing reliance on computers in modern air travel, making such incidents a potential threat to the industry.
