Lufthansa flights cancelled and re-routed after IT Outage caused by construction work in Frankfurt! Chaos ensues!
Lufthansa, Europe's biggest airline group, has been hit by a massive IT failure due to construction work in the Frankfurt region that damaged broadband fiber-optic cables. The issue forced the airline to cancel or delay flights across its airline group, causing chaos and frustration among the passengers.
Frankfurt Airport, Lufthansa's main hub, had to stop most planes from landing to avoid overcrowding, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Though the flight operations are expected to stabilize in the early evening, the group did not specify how many flights or passengers were impacted globally.
Deutsche Telekom said that four of its cables had been damaged during construction work ordered by state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn in Frankfurt a day earlier. The telecom company spokesman confirmed that they are repairing the fiber optic cables, and two of them are already fixed.
German newspaper Bild reported "chaos" at Frankfurt and Munich airports due to the problems with Lufthansa's check-in and boarding systems. Lufthansa has apologized for the inconvenience caused and advised passengers to check their flight status online before travelling to Frankfurt airport. The airline also encouraged passengers on domestic flights to book train journeys instead.
This comes as Germany is bracing for a full-day strike at seven airports, including Munich and Frankfurt, called by the Verdi trade union, which is currently leading negotiations for better pay for public sector workers, airport ground crew, and aviation security staff. The one-day walkout is expected to lead to flight disruptions for thousands of passengers.
Stay tuned for further updates and be sure to check your flight status before heading to the airport!