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Tennessee flights, businesses, government offices affected by international tech outage

Courtesy Williamson County
Williamson County's 911 call center has experienced internet connectivity issues during the international CrowdStrike tech outage. It's still fully functional for responding to 911 calls.
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The tech outage caused by a glitch in the cybersecurity software CrowdStrike has affected businesses and government departments all over the world, including across Tennessee.

Here’s what WPLN has learned so far about the effects of the outage locally:

  • Several airlines are unable to take off from Nashville International Airport after a ground stop order from the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport urges passengers to check with their airline for updates before arriving for their flight. 
  • The Tennessee Department of Safety says driver services centers across the state may not be able to process transactions today. 
  • The state’s Department of Finance says other government departments might be affected, but has reassured Tennesseans that their personal data is not compromised. 
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee said many of its online services are offline, including web portals for members.
  • Nashville’s Register of Deeds office says it was unable to function on Friday and closed early at 2:30 p.m.
  • Williamson County officials say its 911 office has some internet connectivity issues. However, the office is still open and can handle 911 emergency calls. 
  • Nashville’s 911 call center is also fully operational. 

Crowdstrike’s CEO announced on X that the problem was caused by an update that crashed some Microsoft Windows operating systems. He stressed that the issue was a programming bug, not a cyberattack.

This is a developing story, and could change as we learn new information.

Char Daston

Char Daston is a reporter and newscast writer for WPLN. Char got his start in public radio as an intern at WYSO public radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he answered questions sent in by listeners for a program called WYSO Curious. He went on to work at St. Louis Public Radio and WBEZ Chicago, where he produced the daily talk show Reset and reported for the education desk. His work has also appeared in Curious City, Chicago Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Char attended college and grad school at the University of Chicago, where he wrote his master’s thesis on the politics of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. As a journalist, he is interested in the ways big political decisions and historical events shape our everyday lives. He loves to learn about education, the arts, activism and the ways people help one another. Unable to settle on one creative project, Char enjoys writing poetry, plays and video essays in his spare time. You’ll likely find him rushing to choir rehearsal or seeking out Nashville’s best Thai and Korean food.

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