Passengers stranded, frustrated as CrowdStrike disruption ruins departures out of Raleigh airport

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- At least 35 flights were delayed, and at least 40 were canceled at Raleigh-Durham International Airport Friday morning amid CrowdStrike disruptions causing outages around the world.

Airlines, banks and media companies across the globe are experiencing disruptions.

According to the FAA, three major airlines -- American Airlines, United and Delta -- asked the FAA overnight for global ground stops on all flights. FAA told airborne pilots that airlines are experiencing communication issues. Those in the air could stay there, but no American, United or Delta flights could take off.

This has resulted in a lot of frustration among passengers. Lines are long as many wait to check in or drop off baggage.

Paulette Harris was going to take a birthday trip to surprise her son in California. ABC11 caught up with her at RDU.

"This was her (Harris' daughter) gift for me for my birthday to surprise her brother and him and all of us to get together and something we had never done," Harris said.

Harris was caught up in travel chaos, from delays, to changing gates, to deboarding before her Delta flight was canceled all in the span of a few hours.

"My daughter was so upset she had to call her brother to tell him that she wasn't going to get there," Harris said. "She says, 'mom, I ruined it for your birthday.' And I was like, 'it's OK.'"

Janeeka Harris said she was feeling defeated after trying to figure out plans since early this morning.

"I'm just having hope that we find another flight out and we can be out there and spend time with my brother," she said.

Braelee Richards waited for more than three hours at the Delta service counter trying to find a way back home to Dallas.

"Some people are getting hotels, some people are driving, but we just turned in our rental car before we got here. So, we can't even drive here," Richards said. "I had things to do tonight that got canceled, things to do tomorrow that probably won't make it," Richards said. "It's just inconvenient and unfortunate. I really hope that I'm not here till Monday."

Nia Richardson got delayed on his Delta flight to Atlanta.

"I'm frustrated because I had to go back and get a Lyft," Richardson said. "I'm trying to figure out if I want to stay or not, so that's kind of frustrating."

Malik McFadden's flight to Hawaii got canceled. He got another flight for Sunday.

"I'm just trying to keep my head up," McFadden said. "My girl was letting some tears go a little bit earlier. I think I got the last ticket for the one on Sunday, so I was pretty happy about that."

FAA is assisting the airlines with ground stops, leaving many passengers stuck.

SEE ALSO | Other services in North Carolina affected by CrowdStrike disruption

"I know the people working behind the desks are doing their best," passenger Angela Drezner said. "But, to send us from one airline to the next airline to the next to 'it's not our problem'...I don't know what's going on."

Another passenger Kevin Calles-Lopez said he got no notifications for his canceled flight to Chicago. He found out after arriving at RDU.

"I just kind of got hit in the face on this," he said. "Because no notifications. The systems are down."

Other agencies, like Raleigh Police Department, NC DMV, and Duke University Health Systems, told ABC11 they were also impacted by the outages.

It is not clear how widespread the issue is. However, global IT outages have been reported, including Berlin Airport in Germany and the London Stock Exchange.

Impacted Airlines

Delta said it has resumed some flight departures just before 8 a.m., saying in part:

"Additional delays and cancelations are expected Friday...Delta has issued a travel waiver for all customers who have booked flights departing Friday, July 19. It allows customers to manage their own travel changes via delta.com and the Fly Delta app...The fare difference for customers will be waived when rebooked travel occurs on or before July 24, in the same cabin of service as originally booked. If travel is rebooked after July 24, any difference in fare between the original ticket and the new ticket will be collected at the time of booking."

American Airlines posted on X Friday morning, saying:

"Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience."

United Airlines said some flights are resuming on X, saying in part:

"Many customers traveling today may experience delays...We have issued a waiver to make it easier to change your travel plans at http://United.com or the United app. Waiver: http://uafly.co/alerts."

Passenger Rights

For anyone experiencing significant delays, especially if it forces travelers to stay overnight at an airport, Travel Expert Nick Ewen said to "inquire with your airline about hotel and food vouchers."

"If they are unable -- or unwilling -- to provide them, investigate any trip delay protection you may have on the credit card you used for the flight," he added. "In some cases, you may be eligible for reimbursement for extra expenses incurred -- though you'd still need to submit a claim with the benefits provider. So save your receipts."

Flying amid CrowdStrike outage: What to expect next and tips to navigate travel chaos

Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, a claims management company, echoed Ewen's advice for travelers to retain receipts for any incurred expenses during the delays, telling ABC News "it's crucial for passengers to understand their rights and know their options during disruptions."

"Although this incident is beyond the control of airlines and airports, passengers still have certain rights under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations," he said. "The passengers are entitled to assistance from the airline. This can include rebooking on the next available flight and, in some cases, meal vouchers and accommodation if the delay extends overnight."

Pawliszyn said that later this year, there will be some updated rules in place.

The U.S. Department of Transportation posted on X, saying:

"We are continuing to monitor technical issues impacting airlines. If you're a passenger experiencing a travel delay or cancellation, you have http://FlightRights.gov as a tool to navigate what your airline's responsibilities are to meet your needs as a passenger."