Heathrow, NatWest, and Minecraft Hit Hard as Microsoft Outage Causes Disruption, Global Azure Failure Leads Alaska Airlines Down

Published on
October 29, 2025

By: Tuhin Sarkar

Heathrow, NatWest, and Minecraft were hit hard as a massive Microsoft outage wreaked havoc on global systems, leading to significant disruptions. The global Azure failure on October 2025 caused chaos, grounding flights, interrupting online banking services, and bringing online gaming to a standstill. Alaska Airlines, one of the worst-hit carriers, had its entire operations paralyzed for hours, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across various airports.

The failure of Microsoft’s Azure cloud service underscored the vulnerabilities in tech infrastructure relied upon by critical sectors. With widespread consequences across airlines, financial institutions, and entertainment platforms, this outage highlights the urgent need for more resilient IT systems in today’s interconnected world. At Travel And Tour World, we urge readers to dive deeper into the full story to understand how this major disruption affected global industries and what it means for future tech dependency.

A massive Microsoft outage has caused disruptions across various websites and services globally, including major platforms like Heathrow, NatWest, and Minecraft. Users worldwide reported issues with Microsoft 365, including Outlook and Teams. The outage, linked to “DNS issues,” has also impacted Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform, which supports key online services. This widespread disruption is affecting both businesses and everyday users, prompting many organisations to scramble for solutions. Continue reading as we explore how this outage is causing chaos for users and businesses alike.

Microsoft Outage Disrupts Global Services: Heathrow, NatWest, Minecraft Hit

Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, Azure, and Microsoft 365 services experienced a significant disruption on Wednesday. The outage affected key services worldwide, with several high-profile sites experiencing issues. Users reported delays when trying to access Microsoft Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 tools. The root cause of the issue was linked to DNS problems, similar to the widespread Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage that took place the previous week. Microsoft acknowledged the connectivity issues and assured users that it was working to reroute traffic to restore services. This disruption highlights the increasing reliance on cloud services and their vulnerability to technical failures.

Thousands of Users Report Problems with Websites Due to Microsoft Outage

Downdetector, an outage tracker, recorded thousands of reports from users experiencing problems with various websites due to the Microsoft outage. In the UK, sites like Heathrow Airport, NatWest, Asda, and O2 were affected by the service disruptions. The ripple effects were felt globally, with significant disruptions in the US, including popular brands like Starbucks and retailer Kroger. As Microsoft works on fixing the issue, the outage has prompted many businesses to re-evaluate their reliance on cloud infrastructure. The tech giant’s Azure platform, which powers a large portion of the internet, has been showing critical service status worldwide.

Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Platform Struggles to Recover From Outage

Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform, crucial for supporting numerous internet services, has faced significant degradation. This has impacted the services of various organisations and businesses worldwide. The company attributed the problem to DNS issues, causing delays in the connection for Microsoft 365 users and affecting network infrastructure globally. According to Microsoft, some business clients using the service have faced delays, but the company is actively working to reroute affected traffic and restore service health. The company’s status page reported critical issues in all regions, highlighting the severity of the problem. As the outage continues, Microsoft’s technical teams are focusing on mitigating the disruptions.

Scottish Parliament Suspends Operations Due to Microsoft Outage

The ripple effect of Microsoft’s outage spread to Scotland, where business was suspended at the Scottish Parliament due to technical issues. The parliament’s online voting system was compromised, causing significant delays in proceedings. A senior source within the Scottish Parliament indicated that the problems were likely linked to the same Microsoft outage impacting websites globally. The disruption highlights how vital cloud-based services have become in managing key operations, including government functions. As the outage persists, government bodies and organisations are exploring alternative solutions to ensure such outages do not cause widespread operational failures in the future.

Starbucks, Kroger, and Other US Brands Affected by Microsoft Outage

In the US, Microsoft’s outage caused trouble for major retailers and services, including Starbucks and Kroger. Users across the country reported issues with accessing these brands’ websites, adding to the mounting frustration caused by the global outage. While the outage has now been acknowledged by Microsoft, the tech giant is still working to address the underlying DNS issues that are causing the disruptions. The widespread impact of the outage underscores the vulnerabilities businesses face when relying on cloud services for their operations. This incident is a wake-up call for many companies that depend heavily on cloud infrastructure to run their day-to-day operations.

How DNS Issues Affected Cloud Services and Major Websites Globally

The Microsoft outage is linked to DNS issues, which have been causing disruptions in access to a variety of websites and services. DNS (Domain Name System) is responsible for translating website names into IP addresses, enabling users to access the internet. When DNS services are interrupted, users cannot connect to websites or services as usual. This particular outage impacted Microsoft 365 tools like Outlook and Teams and various websites that rely on Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure. The severity of the problem is clear, as it has caused issues for businesses, governments, and individual users, highlighting the vulnerabilities in online services.

Businesses and Consumers Feeling the Impact of Microsoft Outage

The disruption caused by the Microsoft outage is being felt by businesses and consumers alike. Many businesses, particularly those that rely on Microsoft 365 for communication and productivity tools, have experienced delays and interruptions. For consumers, the frustration of not being able to access websites like Heathrow, NatWest, and Starbucks has made everyday tasks more challenging. In an age where so many services are cloud-based, the outage serves as a stark reminder of how reliant society has become on these platforms. As businesses wait for the services to return to normal, the public is left to deal with the impact of a day-to-day world that increasingly depends on these technologies.

Airlines Hit Hard by Microsoft’s Global Outage: Cancellations, Delays, and Financial Losses

Airlines were among the hardest hit by Microsoft’s 2025 Azure outages. Major carriers like Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines saw widespread disruptions, grounded flights, and staggering financial losses. Alaska Airlines, for instance, grounded all flights for up to eight hours on October 23, impacting over 229 flights and leaving more than 49,000 passengers stranded. The outage crippled the airline’s website, app, and critical flight management systems. Similarly, Delta Air Lines faced significant cancellations during a similar incident in July, with a loss between $500 million to $550 million as they grounded flights for five consecutive days. These disruptions highlight the significant risk airlines face when dependent on cloud-based infrastructures.

Airports Worldwide Struggle to Cope with System Failures and Delays

The chaos wasn’t confined to airlines alone. Airports around the world, from London Heathrow to New York’s JFK, experienced massive setbacks. Critical systems for check-in, baggage handling, and boarding failed, causing delays and long queues at terminals. Passengers at Bengaluru International Airport in India were told to expect longer processing times as the airport’s systems went down. Similarly, at Miami International Airport, delays in baggage handling and processing led to lost luggage, causing further stress for travelers. These failures demonstrated how vulnerable airport operations are to IT system outages, affecting not just passengers but also the entire airport economy.

Hotels and Travel Services Crippled by Microsoft Outage

The ripple effects of the Microsoft outage extended well beyond airlines and airports. Hotels and travel agencies were forced to rely on manual systems for booking and reservations after their IT platforms, which depended on Microsoft, went offline. Miami’s international airport saw delays, with baggage handling systems powered by Microsoft crashing, leading to thousands of lost bags. Similarly, travel agencies worldwide saw booking systems down, causing havoc in their operations and significant revenue loss. This widespread issue forced businesses to shift from digital to manual systems, which resulted in slower services and frustrated customers.

Financial Impact of the Outages: Airlines Lose Millions

The financial toll on the airlines was monumental. Delta’s estimated loss of between $500 million to $550 million was only one example of how these outages impacted the bottom line of travel companies. Alaska Airlines faced similar issues, spending significant resources on compensating affected passengers and getting systems back online. The fact that these incidents involved one of the world’s leading cloud service providers, Microsoft, brings the crucial point into focus: the travel industry’s increasing reliance on technology is a double-edged sword. While it improves operational efficiency, any failure in these systems results in huge financial and operational losses.

A Wake-Up Call for the Travel Industry: Reinforcing Resilience in the Face of Future Disruptions

The Microsoft outage of 2025 serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by the travel industry. Airlines, airports, hotels, and travel agencies must now reconsider their reliance on cloud-based systems and find ways to bolster their resilience against similar disruptions in the future. Many experts are calling for contingency plans that rely on backup systems and offline procedures to ensure that operations can continue during tech failures. The ongoing chaos demonstrates the urgent need for more robust IT infrastructures, improved cybersecurity, and more transparency from tech providers. As the world grows more dependent on technology, it’s essential that the travel industry invests in making their systems more resilient, ensuring smoother journeys for travelers worldwide

Microsoft’s Efforts to Resolve DNS Issues and Restore Service

Microsoft has acknowledged the widespread disruptions and is actively working to resolve the DNS issues affecting its services. The company has assured users that it is rerouting affected traffic to restore service health and minimize further impact. Although the company has been transparent about the issue, the sheer scale of the outage has caused significant concern for businesses and consumers. With Azure showing critical service status in all regions, the global nature of the problem underscores the importance of reliable cloud services in modern society. Microsoft’s technical teams are working around the clock to fix the issue and return services to normal.

The Aftermath of Microsoft’s Outage and Its Impact on Global Services

The ongoing Microsoft outage has disrupted services for countless users and businesses worldwide. From Heathrow to NatWest, Asda to Starbucks, and even the Scottish Parliament, organisations have been impacted by DNS issues linked to Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform. While Microsoft has been working to address the issue, the scale of the disruption highlights the vulnerabilities of cloud-based services. The tech giant’s ongoing efforts to resolve the issue are essential for restoring global services and confidence in cloud infrastructure. As the situation unfolds, businesses and governments are left reflecting on the importance of reliable technology in maintaining smooth operations across the world.