The outage, which began around 16:00 UTC on October 29, was traced to an “inadvertent configuration change” that disrupted DNS routing and caused widespread latency, timeouts, and authentication failures across multiple systems.

The fallout was immediate and spread wide. Core Microsoft services, including Microsoft 365, Xbox, Minecraft, and Azure-dependent applications, were hit. 

Companies relying on Azure infrastructure, such as Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Starbucks, Costco, Kroger, and Capital One, also reported service disruptions that left customers unable to access websites, make payments, or check in for flights.

In a statement on Azure’s status page, Microsoft confirmed the root cause of the incident:

“Starting at approximately 16:00 UTC on 29 October 2025, customers and Microsoft services leveraging Azure Front Door (AFD) may have experienced latencies, timeouts, and errors. We have confirmed that an inadvertent configuration change was the trigger event for this issue.”

Azure Front Door (AFD), which powers global content delivery and accelerates applications, became the central point of failure. The outage rippled across a long list of Azure services, including App Service, Azure SQL Database, Azure Active Directory B2C, Microsoft Sentinel, Azure Virtual Desktop, Azure Maps, and Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management.

By 7:40 PM ET, Microsoft said Azure Front Door had reached “above 98% availability” and that mitigation efforts were ongoing. “We are continuing to work on tail-end recovery for remaining impacted customers and services,” the company added, estimating full recovery by 00:40 UTC on October 30.

Gaming services were also affected. Xbox users experienced connection issues, with many needing to restart their consoles to reconnect. The Xbox Support account later confirmed services were “restored to their pre-incident state.”

Elsewhere, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines acknowledged that the Azure outage disrupted key operational systems. “We are currently experiencing a disruption to key systems, including our websites,” Alaska Airlines said, urging passengers to visit airport counters for boarding passes.

Retail chains like Starbucks, Costco, and Kroger’s websites and mobile apps were temporarily inaccessible, while some Capital One customers reported difficulty accessing banking services. In the UK, internet provider Community Fibre confirmed that “some customers may have experienced issues due to the Microsoft outage.”

The disruption coincided with Microsoft’s quarterly earnings release, during which even its main website struggled to load properly. While the company managed to restore most services by late evening, the timing of the incident worried investors and analysts about the resilience of global cloud systems.

This outage follows a similar incident just a week earlier involving Amazon Web Services (AWS), which also led to widespread internet disruptions. Analysts warn that such back-to-back failures reveal the fragility of the world’s dependence on a few centralised cloud providers.

According to a statement by IATA the total locked funds at the end of April, stood at approximately $1.8 billion, a reduction of $708 million (28%) since December 2023.

The main driver of the reduction was a significant clearance of funds blocked in Nigeria. Egypt also approved the clearance of its significant accumulation of blocked funds.

However, in both cases, airlines were adversely affected by the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound and the Nigerian Naira.

Meanwhile IATA reiterated the call for governments to remove all barriers to airlines repatriating their revenues from ticket sales and other activities in accordance with international agreements and treaty obligations.

IATA said:

“The reduction in blocked funds is a positive development. The remaining $1.8 billion, however, is significant and must be urgently addressed. The efficient repatriation of airline revenues is guaranteed in bilateral agreements.

According to Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, even more importantly, it is a pre-requisite for airlines who operate on thin margins to be able to provide economically critical connectivity. No business can operate long-term without access to rightfully earned revenues.”

For instance, at its peak in June 2023, Nigeria’s blocked funds amounted to $850 million, significantly affecting airline operations and finances in the country.

Carriers faced difficulties in repatriating  revenues in US dollars, and the high volume of blocked funds led some airlines to reduce their operations and one carrier to temporarily cease operations to Nigeria, which severely impacted the country’s aviation industry.

However, as of April 2024, 98% of these funds have been cleared. The remaining $19 million is due to the Central Bank’s ongoing verification of outstanding forward claims filed by the commercial banks.

“We commend the new Nigerian government and the Central Bank of Nigeria for their efforts to resolve this issue. Individual Nigerians and the economy will all benefit from reliable air connectivity for which access to revenues is critical.

“We are on the right path and urge the government to clear the residual $19 million and continue prioritizing aviation,” said Walsh.

It is significant to note that the situation has become severe in Pakistan and Bangladesh with airlines unable to repatriate $731 million ($411 million in Pakistan and $320 million in Bangladesh) of revenues earned in these markets.

Thus,

“Pakistan and Bangladesh must release the $731 million in blocked funds immediately to ensure airlines can continue providing essential air connectivity. In Bangladesh, the solution is in the hands of the Central Bank, which must prioritize aviation’s access to foreign exchange in line with international treaty obligations.

The solution in Pakistan is finding efficient alternatives to the system of audit and tax exemption certificates, which cause long processing delays,” said Walsh.

Airports also boosted IT spend as a percentage of revenue in 2022 and 2023 even as business benefitted from an uptick in travel demand, signalling just how crucial a role technology will play in the next-generation travel experience.

Aviation CIOs’ key investment priorities include a biometrically enabled passenger journey, leveraging data to unlock operational efficiencies, and green solutions to optimize energy consumption and emissions.

From a seamless passenger experience to optimized operations

Airlines and airports have made strides in optimizing the passenger experience, with over half having implemented IT to improve efficiency across check-in, bag tag, and boarding in 2023.

Biometrics are becoming commonplace to help curb congestion, with 70% of airlines expecting to have biometric ID management in place by 2026, and 90% of airports investing in major programs or R&D in this area.

CIOs are now looking to supplement passenger processing advancements with innovative solutions on the operations side.

To boost efficiency, protect operations against disruption, and streamline processes for both passengers and staff, CIOs are embracing IT solutions for business intelligence (BI), artificial intelligence, and data sharing.

BI is the biggest area of technology investment for airlines in the coming three years, with 73% investing in major programs.

Nearly two-thirds of airports and airlines collect and integrate data, and with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI), they are now looking to AI and machine learning to leverage this data and generate insights.

With most citing the “use of data to improve operational efficiency” as at least somewhat of a business challenge, it makes sense that 97% of airlines and 82% of airports are investing in AI by 2026.

David Lavorel, CEO of SITA, said:

“As we approach a full recovery of passenger demand for air travel, with domestic travel even surpassing pre-pandemic levels in some regions, airlines and airports have learned from the congestion and disruptions seen in the past two years. Advanced data sharing and analytics tools will allow them to unite stakeholders and identify opportunities for greater efficiency and leaner operations. Solutions like total airport management and BI for passenger processing provide airports and airlines real-time insight into the management of assets and passenger flow, allowing for agile, collaborative responses to any disruptions.”

Smart IT to improve sustainability

Sustainability is also high on the agenda, with industry milestones for carbon reduction as well as regulations on emissions coming into view. CIOs are setting their sights on technology solutions that can deliver concrete emissions reductions.

By 2026, over 90% of airlines plan to have IT in place to boost the efficiency of flight operations and aircraft turnaround. More than half have implemented IT to optimize both aircraft taxiing and the takeoff/landing and cruise phases of flights, with nearly all expecting to have this in place by 2026.

On the airport side, building and energy management systems are a key priority for offering a unified view of emissions and opportunities to reduce them. Investment in energy management systems* is expected to grow the most of any airport sustainability initiative, with over half of airports planning this by 2026.

“With industry ambitions to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 in mind, airlines and airports are taking necessary steps towards reducing their carbon footprint, adopting digital tools for accurate monitoring and optimization of energy consumption and emissions,” Lavorel added.

The SITA 2023 Air Transport IT Insights research was conducted from August to November 2023. It represents the views of over 250 senior airline and airport executives, covering a quarter of global passenger traffic.

This was made known in a statement on Friday by Obiora Okonkwo, the spokesman of local airlines, who called for immediate government intervention to prevent the collapse of local airlines.

The airlines said that the volatility in foreign exchange rates and the soaring cost of aviation fuel at N1,300 per litre had disrupted operational planning and stability within the aviation sector.

The Central Bank of Nigeria on June 14, 2023, unified the different segments of the forex market, causing the naira to depreciate significantly at both the official and the autonomous markets.

The local currency weakened to over 1,500/$ at the parallel on Wednesday and exchanged 1474.62/$ at the official market on Thursday.

The country has been struggling with lingering dollar scarcity due to reduced oil production, which brings in over 90 per cent of the country’s dollars.

This has made it difficult for local carriers to raise enough foreign exchange to run checks and conduct comprehensive maintenance of their fleets overseas.

Okonkwo, who also chairs United Nigeria Airlines, explained that the unforeseen increase in aviation fuel prices from N700 per litre and the rise in the exchange rate to 1,400/$ had resulted in significant losses for airlines.

Passengers who purchased tickets well in advance under previous rates were being airlifted at the current higher costs, further impacting the airlines’ loss in the revenue stream, he explained.

“We are making losses on factors that are beyond our control. We are not only faced with the problem of scarcity of dollars; even the aviation ecosystem is feeling the heat. Handling companies have increased the cost of their services, airports have increased their charges and those that service the aircraft have also increased the cost of their services. The monies for these payments are coming from the passengers who are already exhausted financially,” he said.

Okonkwo noted that numerous businesses in Nigeria were experiencing low returns, leading to a decline in the number of essential passengers travelling during both peak and off-peak seasons.

He stated that as a result, the airlines were struggling to maintain adequate load factors to support their operations during the current low season, as there were fewer traveler for tourism and social engagements.

“Passenger traffic has shrunk because even those on social engagement like weddings, burials, and other ceremonies may not be inclined to spend money on flight tickets; they would rather send credit alerts to those hosting the events who would appreciate such gestures. So, they pay instead of appearing in person.

“Air travel is a catalyst to economic development. There should have been government engagement with airlines at different levels. Airlines do not have special forex allocation; so, they buy at the same place traders who trade in Brazilian hair, textiles and others buy.

“Our passion to remain in this business is being eroded. We are at the point of oxygen supply. Some airlines are going into a coma. Our equipment is diminishing. The minimal revenues we earn to keep the airlines flying, we convert to pay our lessors,” he noted.

He clarified that the initial money being owed to the foreign airlines was about $700 million out of which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cleared $136.73 million, adding that the remaining balance were transactions the foreign airlines had with the commercial banks.

“It is the naira component deposited at the commercial banks that the banks have not been able to pay them the dollar equivalent, not the CBN,” he explained.

The minister, who spoke on the sidelines of the 10th edition of the Annual Aviation Workers Week and Award Niger in Abuja, added:

“The ones for the CBN are actually the ones they promised to pay during their normal weekly auction they did two to three years ago up to this year. The CBN has been able to fulfill that obligation to foreign investors. Government has shown its capacity to fulfill its dollar obligation to foreign investors.”

On whether the high exchange rate would lead to high airfares, the minister stressed that the government was doing all it can to force down airfares.

He reiterated that the government was working hard to ensure that local airlines are competitive on the foreign route, saying one of the ways to achieve that is to allow local airlines to have access to dry leases at single digit.

He said:

“There is no way our local airlines can compete for loans at 26 per cent. What we are doing is to go all over the world to get aircraft for them so that they can compete in those routes that our Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) has allowed us to compete in.

“If for instance British Airways has 14 slots to come into Nigeria every week, we should also have our local airlines reciprocate and have 14 slots going to the UK every week. That competitiveness is what will force down the price.”

Keyamo also disclosed that the relocation of the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would save the Federal Government the sum of N1 billion annually.

He said that the decision to move the headquarters back to Lagos was after consultation with stakeholders including workers’ unions in the aviation sector.

The minister, who also got an award, congratulated the workers for sustaining the annual event.

He stated that the theme of the aviation week, ‘Workers as Strategic Partners in Achieving the Aviation Road Map’ was apt as the aviation industry cannot succeed without the workers.   He noted that how the workers are treated would determine their level of efficiency.

Hector Nnamdi, the chairman, Joint Consultative and Negotiating Council, who said the movement of FAAN to Lagos was in national interest, noted that the event, which marks the grand finale of the programme, was tailored towards a contemporary subject in the aviation sector.

“Without doubts, the Nigerian aviation industry has witnessed a series of policy overhauls with moderate results. We pride ourselves in the implementation of the Aviation Roadmap from 2012 till date. It must, however, be re-emphasised that over the years, the critical roles of workers in the industry had not received the desired attention from the drivers of the roadmap, hence the minimum results achieved,” he said.

He, however, expressed confidence that the minister would partner with the workers for maximum input.

The apex bank said this is in fulfilment of its commitment to eliminate the backlog of pending matured foreign exchange in Deposit Money Banks (DMBs).

“This initiative is part of the CBN ’s efforts to decrease its remaining liability to the airlines,” a statement signed by Hakama Sidi Ali, acting director, corporate communications department said.

Sidi Ali further disclosed that, in the past three months, the CBN has also redeemed outstanding forward liabilities amounting to almost $2 billion.

This underscores the Bank’s commitment to the resolution of pending obligations and a functional foreign exchange market.

According to her, these payments signify the CBN’s ongoing efforts to settle all remaining valid forward transactions, with the aim of alleviating the current pressure on the country’s exchange rate.

It is anticipated that this initiative by the CBN should provide a considerable boost to the Naira against other major world currencies and further increase investor confidence in the Nigeria economy.

Uganda Airlines which is the flag carrier of the Republic of Uganda would be flying from Entebbe International Airport in Uganda thrice a week to Lagos, Nigeria.

The airline that is rated at the top of the list of the youngest fleets of the world airlines is also known as the Uganda National Airlines Company.

Mr. Patrick Ziwa, the Ugandan Country Manager said concerning the partnership between SAHCO and Uganda Airlines that they are happy and blessed to be in Nigeria starting from the 19th of October, 2023. He went on to say that Uganda Airlines is excited about working with SAHCO, partnering with SAHCO and also supporting SAHCO during this novel journey.

SAHCO has been able to attract and retain the confidence of both her existing airlines and new airlines due to the seamless, safe and speedy service delivery which SAHCO is known for.

SAHCO is the only Aviation Ground Handling company that is present in all the commercially operated airports in Nigeria.

In recent times, many foreign airlines have moved their aviation ground handling operations to SAHCO so as to enjoy being handled by a loyal and dedicated workforce who are well trained and whose integrity is undoubtable, delivering their activities in line with global best practices.

Also, SAHCO has invested on modern aviation ground support equipment (GSE) which operate on alternative power sources and are rugged to enable effective maneuvering in the Nigerian terrain.

These GSE are also equipped with the technology to guarantee zero carbon emission to ensure the commitment of SAHCO to protecting the environment. Among these is the first ever Cool Dollies which are used to convey temperature sensitive shipment from the aircraft to the warehouse to safeguard that the shipments are not denatured.

In the same vein, Ibom Air has signed an aviation ground handling contract with SAHCO to handle her regional flights starting with the Lagos to Accra route which also commenced on October 17, 2023 by providing Passenger handling services, Baggage handling services, Ramp handling services, Cargo handling services and Premium Lounge services.

Despite operating in a challenging industry, SAHCO ensures that the focus is to confirm operational excellence which has helped in the handling of an array of aviation clients that enjoy customer specific services that are unique to them.

This has enabled SAHCO to be the leading player in the Nigerian aviation landscape by providing services to Aero Contractors, African World Airways, Air Cote D’Ivoire, KLM, Air France, Air Peace, Arik Air, Allied Air, Badr Airlines, Bristol Helicopters, British Airlines, Camair-Co, Caverton Helicopters, Dana Air, DHL Aviation, Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Execujets, Green Africa Airlines, Ibom Air, Inter Air, Max Air, Middle East Airlines, Overland Airways, South African Airways, TAAG Angola, Tarco Airlines, United Airlines, United Nigeria, Airlines, XE Jet, Value Jet, Virgin Atlantic Cargo.

Since aviation is all about safety, SAHCO has ensured that the organization is RA3 certified, ISAGO certified and ISO9001 certified.

It is worthy to note that SAHCO is also the recipient of numerous awards both locally and internationally due to its quality service delivery in aviation ground handling operations in Nigeria.

This came as leading aircraft manufacturer, Airbus Industries, on the sidelines of the summit, predicted that Nigeria’s domestic air traffic was set to increase by five per cent annually for the next two decades.

Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, who disclosed news of the reconciliatory meeting yesterday at the ongoing African Aviation Summit in Abuja, noted that the development was one of the reasons President Tinubu travelled to the United Arab Emirates, UAE.

He also unveiled three roadmap projects, which include aerotropolis, aircraft leasing Company, ALC, and Maintenance Repair and Overhaul, MRO, facility, as well as five focus areas to realise the country’s vision of becoming an aviation hub in Africa.

The key areas listed include infrastructure upgrade, ALC, MRO facility and forex availability.

Keyamo said: “The recent global events further exposed the immense contribution and importance of air transportation as a catalyst for economic development, vital engine of global socio-economic growth, one of the greatest contributors to the advancement of modern society and a key instrument for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

“These underscore why the world was greatly impacted when international aviation was disrupted by the pandemic and other global occurrences. It is the vision of this current administration to make Nigeria the aviation hub of Africa.

“Government welcomes major players in aircraft leasing and head lessors to invest in Nigeria airlines to provide state of the art aircraft.

“The government will ensure the enforcement of contract agreements and the rights of investors and indeed all parties are protected and Nigeria being a signatory to the Cape Town Convention will uphold international obligations.

“This administration is committed to ensuring that forex is readily available to entrepreneurs, thus the president has directed that the CBN holds quarterly reconciliation meetings, with a view to resolving this issue.

“CBN is open to providing tax holidays to encourage existing and new entrants into the Nigerian aviation sector. I wish to reiterate that my administration will continue to sustain the support being given to the industry.

‘MRO facility critical to govt vision on aviation’

“MRO facility is another critical aspect that can make the Nigerian aviation industry a hub on the continent. With the shortage of qualified engineers, the current administration is willing to provide all the necessary support for the establishment of world-class MROs and training organisations.

“On upgrading infrastructure, this includes upgrading of the Cat3 landing system, at major airports, construction of the second runway in Abuja, airport improvement programmes through concession and government willingness to partner with companies to turn major airports into Aerotropolis.

“On tax holidays, the current administration is open to providing tax holidays to encourage existing and new entrants into the Nigerian aviation sector.”

[Source]

This information was shared in a statement released to commemorate the airline’s fourth anniversary. The statement, signed by Aniekan Essienette, the GM of Marketing and Communication, was made available to the press in Uyo.

Since its inception on June 7, 2019, the airline has experienced tremendous growth, as stated by the company. With a modern fleet of aircraft, a strong emphasis on safety, and exceptional customer service, Ibom Air has become the preferred choice for travelers seeking a combination of safety, comfort, reliability, and affordability.

Mr. George Uriesi, the Chief Operating Officer of the airline, attributed the rapid growth to the airline’s ability to meet the high expectations of its shareholders and the dedicated execution of its business plan.

He expressed pride in celebrating Ibom Air’s fourth anniversary and highlighted the airline’s achievements in surpassing its business plan projections.

These milestones were accomplished through meticulous execution of the business plan and the hard work and dedication of the committed staff.

Uriesi emphasized that Ibom Air’s internal culture of excellence, safety, integrity, passion, and innovation has become deeply ingrained and drives the company’s commitment to providing the highest quality of service in the industry.

The COO also expressed gratitude, on behalf of the board, management, and staff, to the loyal customers, associates, and stakeholders across the country and beyond for their support over the past four years.

Furthermore, Uriesi highlighted the recent certification of Ibom Air with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), underscoring the airline’s unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards in the industry

The plane had arrived from Ebonyi Airport in Abakaliki with approximately 50 passengers on board.

According to Achilleus-Chud Uchegbu, the Head of Corporate Communications for the airline, the aircraft landed safely but was unable to complete its move to the apron off the runway.

Fortunately, all passengers disembarked safely and were transported, along with their luggage, to the arrival hall.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, UNA engineers, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) were notified and present at the scene.

The airline assured the public that it maintains strict safety standards and will continue to prioritize passenger safety.