KATHMANDU: A widespread IT outage has hit numerous major Australian institutions, including banks, media outlets, and Jetstar airline, causing significant disruptions. At Sydney Airport, Jetstar's operations have been severely impacted, supermarkets are struggling with checkout issues, and broadcast networks are grappling with failures in autocue and graphics systems. This massive outage has also affected various entities in the US, where several airlines had to ground their planes due to similar IT issues.

The cause of the outage remains unclear, but many affected parties have speculated that it may be linked to Microsoft PC operating systems. Downdetector reports that problems have been reported with a number of significant Australian companies, such as Google, Telstra, and the National Australia Bank. Microsoft has admitted to the issue and stated that they are looking into how it may affect different Microsoft 365 services and apps.

In response to the IT problems, major US airlines, including United, Delta, and American Airlines, have issued a "global ground stop," halting all new flights while allowing those already airborne to continue. Airports in Japan and India are also experiencing disruptions. Narita Airport near Tokyo has reported issues affecting airlines such as JetStar and Qantas, while Delhi Airport is managing temporary service impacts.

New Zealand is also affected, with Christchurch International Airport facing IT issues that could affect flight operations. Additionally, New Zealand's parliament is experiencing problems with its computer network. In Poland, the Baltic Hub, the largest container terminal, is struggling with the outage, which has led to a halt in container shipments and operational difficulties.

In Delhi, the situation at Indira Gandhi Airport is chaotic, with electronic check-in terminals out of service. Passengers are being asked to complete boarding cards and baggage tags manually, and gate information is being updated on a whiteboard. Despite the challenges, the airport remains operational, although the manual processes have slowed down operations.

The IT disruption has also reached the Paris Olympics organizing committee, although they have assured that contingency plans are in place given the imminent start of the Games. In Germany, two hospitals in Luebeck and Kiel have canceled non-emergency operations, although emergency services continue as usual.

The disruption has also affected airports and airlines in Europe. Both SAS and Lufthansa are having problems right now. SAS is citing technical problems with their booking engine, while Lufthansa is having trouble retrieving bookings. A check-in system failure has caused delays at Prague Airport, and Eurowings is having trouble with online check-in. Planes are unable to land at Zurich's main airport in Switzerland, and Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland is also affected, despite flights continuing.