How Fox Mitigated the CrowdStrike Outage
SITUATION
In the early morning of July 19, 2024, Fox World Travel, and the greater travel industry, experienced a significant IT disruption caused by a faulty update released by CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity provider. This line of code led to employees unable to boot their systems, communicate via Teams or email, or access essential booking tools. The disruption impacted various departments, including Front-Line Agents, Customer Technology Service Desk, HR, and Accounting.
Notably, within the travel industry, the outage severely disrupted operations. Widespread computer crashes crippled airline systems, ground transportation networks, and airport infrastructure, resulting in significant flight delays, widespread cancellations, and disruption for travelers worldwide. As a result, Fox experienced a 73% increase in call volume and a 26% increase in average call duration.
SOLUTION
By 6 a.m., our IT team was alerted and swiftly mobilized to address the situation. Recognizing the severity of the outage, it became an all-hands-on-deck effort. The team prioritized restoring functionality for customer-facing roles, particularly travel agents, to ensure we were prepared to assist customers with travel issues.
By 10 a.m., significant progress had been made, with updates provided to managers every half hour. The team called a brief time-out to assess the situation and synchronize their efforts. By 1 p.m., most users were back online, and by 3 p.m., nearly all systems were operational, and the company was approaching full capacity. The swift action in getting our customer-focused positions up and running allowed us to maintain our commitment to exceptional service. Our dedicated agents were fully operational and ready to handle the 73% increase in traveler calls, ensuring our customers received timely and effective assistance throughout the disruption.
DISCOVERY
The CrowdStrike incident was an unprecedented challenge for our team. Shaun Grable, Information Technology Manager, stated, “In my 28 years in IT, I have never experienced an outage quite like the CrowdStrike incident. The team’s quick and coordinated response highlighted our expertise at Fox World Travel and emphasized the value of a strong continuity plan. This incident tested our resilience and improved our readiness for future challenges.”
At Fox World Travel, we excel in finding solutions for our clients, and our handling of the CrowdStrike incident exemplifies the dedication and skill of our IT team. Through precise coordination, swift action, and unwavering commitment, we recovered from a significant outage and continued to deliver exceptional customer service to our travelers. This experience has strengthened our continuity strategies and reinforced our ability to tackle future IT challenges with confidence.
