Archaic Windows version saves the day during CrowdStrike outage — Southwest Airlines scrapes by with ancient OS [Updated]
Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 save the day.
Edit 7/29/2024 7:35pm PT: Reports have surfaced that the source tweet included inaccurate information. A report from 2022 points to Southwest using Windows 95 for many of its systems rather than version 3.1. Yet another more recent report refers to the OS as having apps that appear to have been "designed on Windows 95." We're reaching out for further clarification.
Original Article:
Southwest Airlines, the fourth largest airline in the US, is seemingly unaffected by the problematic CrowdStrike update that caused millions of computers to BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) because it used Windows 3.1. The CrowdStrike issue disrupted operations globally after a faulty update caused newer computers to freeze and stop working, with many prominent institutions, including airports and almost all US airlines, including United, Delta, and American Airlines, needing to stop flights.
Windows 3.1, launched in 1992, is likely not getting any updates. So, when CrowdStrike pushed the faulty update to all its customers, Southwest wasn’t affected (because it didn’t receive an update to begin with).
The airlines affected by the CrowdStrike update had to ground their fleets because many of their background systems refused to operate. These systems could include pilot and fleet scheduling, maintenance records, ticketing, etc. Thankfully, the lousy update did not affect aircraft systems, ensuring that everything airborne remained safe and were always in control of their pilots.
Delta, United, American Airlines flights are all grounded right now.The reason Southwest is not affected is because they still run on Windows 3.1.https://t.co/ezFubvKVNAJuly 19, 2024
Southwest was often criticized for its outdated systems, but an old but proven operating system saved it (and its customers) from the stress that most other airlines were experiencing. Nevertheless, Southwest passengers weren’t 100% unaffected by the CrowdStrike crash, as many airports also encountered system issues.
Aside from Windows 3.1, Southwest also uses Windows 95 for its staff scheduling system. It is a newer operating system — about three years younger than Windows 3.1 — but it’s ancient compared to today’s tech. Many of the airline’s staff have been complaining about it already.
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However, the CrowdStrike global outage might discourage Southwest from upgrading its systems. These systems do not receive upgrades, so the company is sure it won’t ever receive one and cause an unexpected crash that could disrupt operations. After all, as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
But as computers age and need replacing, the airline might need to upgrade its systems soon. One X user suggested that the company switch to Windows XP—it’s also no longer updated, and it can run Windows 3.1 applications via compatibility mode.
Whatever the case, Southwest’s use of outdated technology saved it when most of the world, which relied on newer systems, suffered a major IT crash. This is also precisely why military aircraft, like the Air Force One, still use needles, dials, and gauges—you cannot beat the reliability of older systems that have already been put through the wringer.
Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.
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Makaveli Using windows 3.1 and windows 95 for the systems.Reply
Taking mental note never fly with these guys ever. -
coolitic
It's not like those are what run the airplanes themselves lolMakaveli said:Using windows 3.1 and windows 95 for the systems.
Taking mental note never fly with these guys ever. -
parkerthon
Yeah and a customer experience goes, not any worse than other carriers.coolitic said:It's not like those are what run the airplanes themselves lol -
USAFRet
Scheduling, not flying.Makaveli said:Using windows 3.1 and windows 95 for the systems.
Taking mental note never fly with these guys ever.
Some of the subsystems your bank uses are even older. -
parkerthon I thought this was a joke when I saw it on twitter.Reply
I am just amazed they have kept it working and haven’t run into serious scalability issues. I guess you can emulate/virtualize older stuff easily on client side, but Windows 3.1 was never a very reliable OS server side.
I also find it funny they get credit for not being hit by an outage because they don’t run newer systems. It’s because they don’t run Crowdstrike. They almost certainly have newer Windows servers and systems elsewhere running XDR, like their corp workforce. Possibly using their cheaper competitor, SentinelOne or even Microsoft’s Defender XDR. If not they are just begging to be breached and ransomwared. -
Makaveli
lol that is an even scarier thought.coolitic said:It's not like those are what run the airplanes themselves lol -
ekio If all these incompetent companies where relying on Linux systems rather than the piece of trash code that is Windows, we would not even know about the issue because it would not have happened.Reply -
ezst036 Admin said:However, the CrowdStrike global outage might discourage Southwest from upgrading its systems
Why? CrowdStrike's Linux and Mac software clients were unaffected.
Southwest could easily upgrade to Linux or Apple and do just fine. -
USAFRet
Changing an enterprise of that size to anything else is decidedly non-trivial.ezst036 said:Southwest could easily upgrade to Linux or Apple and do just fine. -
ezst036 USAFRet said:Changing an enterprise of that size to anything else is decidedly non-trivial.
Not really, for two reasons.
First, switching from Win16 to anything else is decidedly non-trivial in an enterprise context.
Second and more importantly, from what I know this is only for their scheduling system.
So the entire premise of "changing an enterprise" is a shameful non-sequitor; perhaps even a strawman. Changing just their scheduling system should be fairly straightforward, at least, much easier than switching the entire enterprise good grief.