Live updates: Follow the latest on the global IT outage
Several airports around the world issued warnings that travel could be disrupted as a result of the global IT outage.
The cause of the chaos, which has affected businesses from Australia to North America, is unclear, but several companies said problems with Microsoft were linked to a cyber security company called CrowdStrike.
Gatwick Airport in London warned passengers that services were "affected by the global Microsoft issues, so passengers may experience some delays while checking in and passing through security". Dublin Airport issued a similar statement.
Officials at Heathrow Airport assured travellers that flights were still operational.
"Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow," a statement read.
"Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information."
Airlines including Vueling and Ryanair shared similar messages online, warning travellers of the possibility of delays.
In the UAE, flydubai assured passengers that its services had not been affected.
Etihad Airways said it was operating normally, but that passengers could be affected by "limited delays to services across its network", while Emirates confirmed there had been no impact on their flight operations.
"There may be delays to some flight timings later today, due to knock-on effects from delayed departures from some airports around our network," said an Emirates spokesperson.
Dubai Airports confirmed that Dubai International (DXB) was operating normally following a global system outage that affected the check-in process for some airlines in Terminals 1 and 2 on Friday morning.
"The affected airlines promptly switched to an alternate system, allowing normal check-in operations to resume swiftly," a Dubai Airports spokesperson said.
Indian carriers such as SpiceJet, IndiGo and Air India posted on X to inform passengers that there could be disruption to flights.
"Our digital systems have been impacted temporarily due to the current Microsoft outage, resulting in delays. We regret the inconvenience caused and request our guests to plan their travel accordingly," Air India said.
Aena, a company that looks after 46 airports in Spain, issued a statement saying operations were being dealt with manually. "Due to an incident in the computer system, alterations are occurring in the Aena systems and in Spain's airport network, which could cause delays," it said.
"We are working to resolve it as soon as possible. Meanwhile, operations are being handled manually."
In Sydney, airport officials told customers the chaos has affected operations. "A global technical outage has impacted some airline operations and terminal services," Sydney Airport said in a statement.
"Flights are currently arriving and departing, however there may be some delays throughout the evening. We have activated our contingency plans and deployed additional staff to our terminals."
Melbourne Airport said check-in procedures for some airlines had been affected.
Turkish Airlines, the world's largest airline by number of destinations, told passengers it was experiencing problems with ticketing, check-in and reservations due to "a global technical issue in our information systems".
The carrier advised passengers to follow its social media channels for updates.
From its hub in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines operates dozens of routes in the Middle East and North Africa, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam, Muscat, Bahrain and Doha.
The company's website showed an error message this morning, advising users that the site was unavailable.
Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines, which also flies to destinations across the Middle East, appeared to be operating normally on Friday morning.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
WIDE%20VIEW
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RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
360Vuz PROFILE
Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
