Stranded airline passengers told to ‘come on down’ to Dover port amid IT outage
Holidaymakers left stranded by cancelled flights on Friday have been encouraged to take a ferry from Dover as thousands of families start to embark on summer holidays.
Flight delays and cancellations are among the disruption expected to continue into the weekend after Friday’s global IT outage, with experts warning it could take weeks for systems to fully recover.
It comes as thousands of families start to embark on summer holidays amid the end of the academic year for many schools.
Chief executive of the Port of Dover Doug Bannister has encouraged displaced airport passengers to use their ferry services.
He told the PA news agency: “We are seeing hundreds of displaced passengers trying to take a ferry.
“We operate a turn up and go system here. However, we do insist you have a book on busy days, even if people are doing this on the drive down.
“The greater visibility we have the better.
“But we are here to service people who want to travel. So I would say to displaced airport passengers ‘come on down. We have the capacity’.”
Mr Bannister said the Port was expecting more than 10,000 cars on Saturday, up from 8,000 the day before.
He added: “We start to get busy about 5 or 5:30 in the morning. We’ve opened new infrastructure today which is working really well.
“So far there is no congestion in the town of dover. Approach roads are busy but moving. Everything is running well.”
Mr Bannister also confirmed the port remained unaffected by the IT outage, adding travellers were able to get to their destinations on time and without disruption throughout Friday.
A flawed update rolled out by CrowdStrike, one of the world’s largest cybersecurity providers, knocked many businesses offline around the world on Friday, causing flight and train cancellations and crippling some healthcare systems.
CrowdStrike chief executive George Kurtz said he was “deeply sorry” for the situation and said CrowdStrike was “actively working” with those impacted.
Industry expert Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, warned it could take “weeks” for all computers and systems to be fully restored, while Mr Kurtz said it would take “some time”.
Holidaymakers have been warned of potential travel disruption this weekend as UK transport networks continue to feel the impact of the outage.
Travel association Abta urged holidaymakers to check with providers if there are “any extra steps” they may need to take.
A spokesperson said: “We’re at the start of one of the busiest periods of travel, with some schools finishing for the summer yesterday and many more next week.
“Many people will be jetting off abroad – looking to escape the UK’s unseasonable weather of late.
“With Spain, Turkey and Greece among the popular destinations for an overseas trip.
“If you are heading off on holiday this weekend – by whatever means, it’s advisable to check with your travel provider if there are any extra steps you need to take, as some businesses are continuing to feel the impact of Friday’s IT outage.”
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, added: “Global IT systems failures of this magnitude are almost unprecedented, and anyone with flights today will naturally be deeply concerned by the potential impact to their journeys.
“Keep an eye on communications from your airline, and you may be advised to arrive at the airport early.
“If you can, avoid checking in a bag as queues for check-in at the airport will be long and IT failures typically lead to lots of lost bags.
“If you do check in bags, make sure you keep medication, keys and any other essentials in your hand luggage.
“As these are extraordinary circumstances, compensation will not be payable for delayed or cancelled flights, but airlines nonetheless have a duty to look after you, including providing meals and accommodation if it becomes necessary.
“They should also reroute you as quickly as possible, though given the global nature of the problem, this may not be immediately possible.”
Press Association – William Warnes