Read update
- Frankfurt has reopened
The Lufthansa Group is facing delays and cancelations across its network. The reason for the interrupted operations is an IT failure affecting the entire airline group. This is having a knock-on effect on other airlines, as Frankfurt Airport is now entirely closed for arrivals. According to data from FlightRadar24.com, 69% of all Frankfurt Airport departures are delayed by an average of 24 minutes, while 5% have been canceled at the time of writing.
Airports closed to arrivals
Given Lufthansa's dominance of Frankfurt Airport, the issues are also beginning to affect other carriers. Speaking to Simple Flying, a Frankfurt Airport spokesperson confirmed that the airport is closed to arrivals. Air Traffic Control decided as parking spaces are running out on the ground.
Many aircraft, mainly long-haul flights, are still making their way toward the airport, with many just starting to divert. The Iran Air flight from Tehran to Frankfurt has already decided to look for an alternate, making an almost 90-degree left-hand turn in the skies above Austria for Milan.
A Lufthansa Boeing 747 is among a handful of aircraft making a 180-degree turn away from the airport. After holding, it diverted to Munich Airport, while Brussels also took some arrivals. It seems that many short-haul flights to the airport have not been able to depart their origins.
Flights are still being allowed to depart Frankfurt Airport, though these are exclusively non-Lufthansa Group flights, which will only free up so much space at an airport dominated by the German flag carrier.
UPDATE: 2023/02/15 11:53 CET BY TOM BOON
Frankfurt has reopened
It appears that Frankfurt Airport may have reopened to arrivals, as several aircraft already en route have begun descents in the area of the airport. This includes a United Airlines flight that had started to divert but has since turned back towards Frankfurt. One would imagine that the few flights already in the air will be given priority for the few parking spaces available over short-haul flights that are yet to depart. The first flight to touch down was a TUI Boeing 737 from Faro, which was among the first departures from Frankfurt Airport this morning.
Lufthansa Group operations impacted
The Lufthansa Group is not having the start to Wednesday that it had hoped. The airline group is seeing an IT failure that is reportedly impacting the airline's flight planning system. According to reports on Twitter, the airline is now looking to board passengers manually but will need the systems to come back online before flights resume.
Speaking to Simple Flying, a Lufthansa Spokesperson issued a brief statement,
"Currently, the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are affected by an IT outage. This is causing flight delays and cancellations. We regret the inconvenience this is causing our passengers."
Looking at data from FlightRadar24.com, it seems as though flight disruptions began around 08:00. The first cancelation to appear in Lufthansa's Frankfurt schedule was the airline's Boeing 787 flight to Munich Airport, flight LH96 due to depart at 08:15. Very few Lufthansa flights have left Frankfurt since this time. However, most remain delayed rather than canceled at this moment.
UPDATE: 2023/02/15 15:02 CET BY TOM BOON
Damage caused to fiber optic cables
It has since been confirmed by Lufthansa and Telekom that the damage was caused by damage to fiber optic cables adjacent to a railway line. In a tweet regarding the damage, Deutsche Telkom AG said,
"Even at a depth of 5m, our glassfiber is not safe from concrete drills. After Düsseldorf at the weekend, now also in Frankfurt. Our technicians are already on site. Due to the considerable damage and situation on the construction site, the remedy will be extremely difficult."
A bad week for Lufthansa
This week may already be unsalvageable for the German flag carrier. On Friday, airport staff at major airports across Germany are set to walk out on strike. In the case of Frankfurt Airport, no departing flights are expected for the whole day. This means those who cannot travel today and are not rebooked tomorrow will have to fly after Friday, along with all the people who are due to fly on Friday.
What do you make of the chaos? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!