Last week, a major part of the digital world experienced a shutdown due to a faulty update from Microsoft’s Windows operating system. This caused a blue screen to appear on millions of devices, affecting hospitals, schools, and airports. However, one airline managed to avoid the chaos – Southwest Airlines. Despite rumors that Southwest still operates on Windows 3.1, this is not the case.
Many believed that Southwest’s outdated software was the reason they were not affected by the recent Windows crash. However, further investigation reveals that while Southwest does use older software that needs upgrading, they are not running on Windows 3.1. Reports citing a viral tweet claiming Southwest’s use of Windows 3.1 turned out to be a troll, and there is no concrete evidence to support this claim.
In fact, Southwest’s internal software, SkySolver, and Crew Web Access, have been compared to Windows 95 in terms of design. While these programs may look outdated and have been in use since 2007, Southwest is not operating on Windows 3.1. The airline’s systems did experience issues during the holidays in 2022, attributed to their aging software, but it is not as ancient as Windows 3.1.
The reason Southwest was not impacted by the recent Windows crash is simply that they do not use Crowdstrike, the cybersecurity company responsible for the faulty update. While their software may need updating, Southwest’s systems are not as outdated as some have claimed. It’s essential to separate fact from fiction and ensure accurate information is shared regarding Southwest Airlines’ technology infrastructure.
