Germany experienced significant disruptions at several major airports on Wednesday due to a widespread IT failure affecting the Federal Police’s border control systems. The outage, impacting automated passport checks, led to long lines and delays for travelers, particularly those arriving from outside the Schengen Area.
Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, was among the most heavily affected. Reports also indicated disruptions at Munich, Hamburg, and other German airports. The Federal Police confirmed the IT problems, stating that they were working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The exact cause of the outage remains unclear.
The timing of the disruption, occurring during a busy travel period, exacerbated the problems. Passengers were forced to wait in extended queues while officers resorted to manual passport checks, a significantly slower process. While the Federal Police worked diligently to manage the situation and minimize the impact, the delays caused frustration and inconvenience for numerous travelers.
Although the technical issue was reportedly resolved later in the day, the knock-on effects of the outage were expected to continue, potentially leading to ongoing delays and disruptions to flight schedules. Authorities urged passengers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to IT failures and underscores the importance of robust backup systems to prevent such widespread disruptions. Further investigation is likely to follow to determine the precise cause of the outage and to implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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