Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry overcomes Microsoft outage amid global disruptions

97% of international flights operate smoothly at Cairo airport during crisis

By Mohamed Attia

The Egyptian Civil Aviation Ministry (CAM) successfully navigated the recent Microsoft outage that disrupted internet services and grounded flights globally. Despite the widespread chaos, Cairo International Airport maintained a 97% on-time performance for international flights.

Civil Aviation Minister led an operations room at the Civil Aviation Authority to monitor and manage the situation closely.

On July 19th, Microsoft’s cloud services experienced significant disruptions, causing flight cancellations and delays worldwide. Many airlines, including Akasa and SpiceJet, reported issues with online services, forcing manual check-ins at airports. Frontier Airlines also suspended flights for over two hours due to the outage, impacting bookings and check-ins.

In contrast, Egypt’s response was swift and effective. The Civil Aviation Ministry immediately formed a crisis management room and activated alternative systems like “Go Now.” The Minister monitored developments from the main operations room, ensuring minimal disruption to flight schedules.

By the end of the crisis, Cairo International Airport saw around 126 departing international flights with 19,422 passengers and 105 arriving international flights carrying 15,127 passengers. Civil Aviation Minister Samah El-Hefny inspected Cairo International Airport, visiting Terminals 2 and 3 to ensure operational normalcy. Accompanied by senior officials, he reviewed the performance and addressed employee feedback to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.

During the tour, the Minister examined travel and arrival procedures to ensure compliance with international standards, visited the duty-free area, and highlighted the need for clear signage to improve passenger navigation. He also instructed an increase in coordinators to assist travelers.

The inspection included updates on Terminal 3’s expansion and the new business class lounges for EgyptAir customers, set to span 2,400 square metres over two floors, designed to match world-class standards.

Minister El-Hefny emphasised the importance of innovative solutions to manage passenger congestion at check-in counters, reduce baggage delays, and ensure adequate trolley availability. 

He stressed the need for continuous coordination with all airport stakeholders to enhance passenger experiences, ensuring smoother and more comfortable travel.