A traveler spoke to the chaos that the national AT&T and T-Mobile outage caused at an airport, as people can’t pull their tickets up. TikToker Leo (@thelifewithleo) speculated that some passengers will be late for their flights as a result.
Leo’s video was viewed over 535,000 times. From the heart of an airport, Leo highlighted a moment where technology fails when most needed. Many AT&T, Cricket Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile users are experiencing outages on Feb. 22, with AT&T being the hardest hit, according to the Associated Press. The carrier accounted for over 74,000 outages, according to customer reports being tracked by DownDetector.
Leo’s caption vividly depicts the scene. “So many people couldn’t pull up their tickets on their phones, airport Wi-Fi is slow and congested, and ticketing lines are chaotic. I can just imagine how many people will be late for their flights!” Leo wrote.
Overlaying the footage, Leo injected a dose of sarcastic humor, writing: “Great day to be at the airport with a national AT&T outage.”
@thelifewithleo So many people couldn’t pull up their tickets on their phones, airport wifi is slow and congested, and ticketing lines are chaotic. I can just imagine how many people will be late for their flights! #att #attoutage #attnation #cellphone #data #cellphonedata #lte #internet #mobile #airport #flight #attcellphone #attwireless ♬ original sound – SpongeBob background music
This disruption extended far beyond typical communication services, like making calls and sending texts, for travelers. The biggest issue for them seems to be the inability to access their boarding passes. Leo’s brief narrative sets the stage for a broader discussion about our reliance on digital connectivity, especially in crucial moments like navigating airports. Viewers argued that this is exactly why they either screenshot or print their boarding passes, as technology can be unreliable.
“My kids may make fun of me and my manila folder of printouts but id be winning today,” said one parent.
“I bet someone’s airport dad is like, “THIS is why I print my tickets,” another joked.
“This is why I always screenshot my boarding pass as soon as I check in AND my reservation number from the original receipt email,” a third airport prepper said. “Just in case.”
Leo, in a follow-up, said that connecting to the airports’ Wi-Fi wasn’t an option as “everybody was trying to connect” at the same time. “It was not working,” he said.
The AT&T outage has had a more serious impact on some of its customers. According to CNN, local governments noted disruptions in emergency services, with AT&T customers unable to reach 911 in some areas. NBC News reports that, by late morning, AT&T stated that 75% of its network had been restored, with AT&T-owned Cricket issuing an identical announcement.
AT&T’s response to the crisis was swift, urging customers to utilize Wi-Fi calling as a temporary solution while working urgently to restore full service. Despite these efforts, the root cause of the outage remains unconfirmed, leaving customers and onlookers alike searching for answers.
The Daily Dot has contacted Leo via TikTok comment and AT&T via email.
