Worldwide Technology Outage Strands Oklahoma Travelers

A major technology outage has disrupted operations at companies around the world, impacting everything from airlines to hospitals. The cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike says the outage is related to Microsoft cloud-based services and was not caused by a security incident or cyberattack.

At Will Rogers World Airport, all airlines are back up and running but airport officials say the outage did affect all flights going out Friday morning. Including Hector Lucas’ flight. He was all pack and ready to go to Michigan, or so he thought.

“My plan just kind of fell into shambles,” Lucas said.

He said he woke up to the news of a worldwide technology outage and the beginning of a string of notifications.

“My first flight was delayed,” he said.

That was at 5 a.m.

“Later got another notification it was cancelled,” he added.

The cycle continued all day until he landed on a 5 p.m. flight, 12 hours after he was supposed to leave.

“The biggest thing I am is frustrated,” Lucas said. “I'm just incredibly frustrated by this whole thing happening.

In Edmond, Whitney Zeka-McFadden tells a similar tale, but from Mexico.

“Everything seemed crazy you know, everything was delayed,” Zeka-McFadden said.

Zeka-McFadden says she had just enjoyed a four-day trip to Puerto Vallarta.

“It was great, it was beautiful,” Zeka-McFadden said.

Until she couldn't get home, she says she was stuck Thursday night on a plane waiting to take off.

“The pilot kept coming back on saying we're still not sure what's going on, but we can't return to the gate,” she recalls.

Once they did, she realized she was stranded.

“I slept in the airport, I had a good hour nap in an airport chair,” she said.

She finally took off at 7 a.m. Friday, and now home but without her luggage.

“That's okay, because I’m here and I’m safe,” she said.

However, for poor Lucas, his trip hadn’t even begun.

“It's a weekend trip,” he said. “I lost all of Friday.”

He spent that day here at home, waiting on his next flight.

“I'm just kind of hanging out, there's nothing I can do,” he said.

He eventually did make that flight and will arrive in Michigan at midnight. Zeka-McFadden’s luggage finally made it home.