Global IT Outage Impacts Flights at Manila Airports, Banks Resume Normal Operations

MANILA – A global IT system outage has significantly disrupted operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, affecting multiple airlines and causing extensive delays, while top banks in the country have recovered from similar glitches.

According to Philippines News Agency, the IT system failure impacted eight airlines at Terminal 3 in Pasay City and one airline at Terminal 2 in Parañaque City. The MIAA has increased personnel at the terminals to manage the passenger build-up at check-in counters and is distributing “Malasakit (Care) Kits” to those affected. Passengers have been advised to verify their flight statuses before traveling to the airport, and they can contact MIAA for flight information through specified landline numbers and TextNAIA service.

Cebu Pacific, one of the affected airlines, canceled 37 flights on Friday and an additional five on Saturday. Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines reported no disruptions. In response to the situation, the MIAA statement also included a community appeal for patience and understanding, highlighting the efforts of airport employees to assist passengers during this challenging time.

In the banking sector, the IT issues surfaced on Friday but were resolved within hours. The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) experienced delays in financial transactions and extended wait times at branches. Banco de Oro (BDO) and Metrobank reported technical difficulties affecting their digital services, with Metrobank announcing the restoration of online services by late afternoon. BDO confirmed that all its digital channels were operational before 9 p.m., and BPI resolved its issues shortly thereafter.

Union Bank of the Philippines and Philippine National Bank also experienced disruptions but had not provided updates at the time of reporting. Notably, cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike clarified that the outage was due to a software issue, not a cyberattack, with a fix already deployed. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz emphasized the firm’s commitment to maintaining security and stability for its clients.

The outage also affected international operations, including complications with airline ticketing for low-cost carriers in South Korea and limited impacts on preparations for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, where organizers assured that measures were in place to ensure continuity of operations.