IndiGo issues handwritten boarding passes amid global Microsoft outage

After a global Microsoft outage crippled the tech systems across sectors ranging from aviation to banking to infrastructure, airline companies in India have resorted to issuing hand-written boarding passes to passengers.

Unlike the usual printed boarding pass, the handwritten pass filed by an IndiGo airline staffer,showed all the details, including name, seat, date and departure.

A passenger named Akshay Kothari, flying from Hyderabad to Kolkata posted the hand-written boarding pass issued by India's low-cost air carrier IndiGo.

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"The Microsoft/CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today," he posted on X.

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The post instantly went viral on social media and as of the last update, had over 2.2 million views with netizens applauding the airline for adapting to the situation.

"Sometimes, the old-school way is still the best way when technology lets us down," said one user.

Another user commented: "Save this, things like these become sellable memorabilia after decades."

A third added: "Today’s the perfect day to celebrate the power of technology! It simplifies our lives and connects us worldwide. Let’s declare it Tech Appreciation Day!"

Meanwhile, IndiGo informedpassengers that it was working to ensure that the systems were back up and running.

"Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience," said IndiGo.

"This system outage has a global impact and we truly regret the inconvenience caused. We assure you that our teams are working relentlessly to ensure safe travels," it added.

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What happened toMicrosoft?

The crisis was triggered by a recent CrowdStrike update that sent Microsoft Windows and its services into a tizzy. The dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" error appeared for users across the world.

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a type of critical error screen that shows up on Windows operating systems.

It happens whenever the system crashes due to a severe issue that prevents it from working safely. When this error occurs, the computer restarts unexpectedly, and all the unsaved data is likely to be lost.

(With inputs from agencies)