Global IT outage causes widespread disruption across UK

LONDON, UK - JULY 19, 2024: A major global IT outage has caused significant disruption across various sectors in the UK, including healthcare, transport, and banking on Friday. The incident has left GPs struggling to access their records systems, which include online bookings, and pharmacy services have been unable to access prescriptions. The transport sector has been heavily impacted, with long queues reported at UK airports. British Airways has warned of potential flight disruptions, and Heathrow Airport confirmed that "select systems" were affected. National Rail has also reported "widespread IT issues," resulting in short-notice cancelations and delays across the train network. Retailers have faced significant challenges, with several major chains, including Gail's, Morrisons, Ladbrokes, Jempson's, Waitrose, and Booths, unable to process card payments for part of the day. Some retailers have since reported that the issue has been resolved. Sam, a manager at Waitrose, explained the difficulties faced: "Card issues this morning meant we could only take cash. It got fixed around midday, but we still faced intermittent problems." (Footage by Aysu Biçer /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)