Average 2-Hour Delays for 3 LCCs Due to MS-Originated IT Outage

89 LCC Flights Departing from Incheon Airport Delayed
19 Foreign Airlines Also Delayed

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 19th, a global IT crisis caused by the collision of solution updates from Microsoft (MS) Windows and security software (SW) company CrowdStrike resulted in an average delay of about 2 hours for flights of three low-cost carriers (LCCs) in South Korea until the following day.

According to data submitted on the 25th by Korea and Incheon International Airport Corporation to the office of Lee Yeon-hee, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party, a total of 89 flights scheduled to depart from Incheon Airport to Jeju operated by Jeju Air, Eastar Jet, and Air Premia were delayed from 3:30 PM on the 19th, when the IT crisis began, until the 20th. Jeju Air had the most delays with 62 flights, followed by Eastar Jet with 23 flights, and Air Premia with 4 flights.

The average delay time for the three companies was 113.3 minutes. By company, Jeju Air had the longest delay at 118.2 minutes. Eastar Jet and Air Premia recorded delays of 105.4 minutes and 82.5 minutes, respectively.

During the same period, 12 foreign airlines operating flights departing from Incheon Airport experienced a total of 19 delays. The average delay time was 114.4 minutes, similar to that of domestic LCCs.

By company, the order was AirAsia Berhad with 344 minutes (1 flight), Tigerair Taiwan with 174 minutes (1 flight), Scoot Tiger with 171 minutes (2 flights), Thai AirAsia X with 160 minutes (1 flight), AirAsia X with 154 minutes (1 flight), and Hong Kong Express with 150 minutes (2 flights), among others.

There were also cancellations. Delta Air Lines canceled 4 flights, while Hong Kong Express, Jetstar Airways, and Cebu Pacific each canceled 1 flight.

Outside of Incheon Airport, other domestic airports experienced 11 delays and 2 cancellations over two days. The average delay time was 113 minutes for domestic flights and 96 minutes for international flights.