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British Airways Says Computer Problems Cause Widespread Delays British Airways Computer Problems Cause Widespread Delays
(about 4 hours later)
British Airways said it was grappling with computer problems late Monday, as passengers turned to social media to complain of delays and reached out to the company for answers and assistance. British Airways said its flights were gradually returning to normal on Tuesday after a still-unexplained computer problem disabled the airline’s self-service check-in kiosks for several hours at a number of international airports, causing significant delays.
“Our IT teams are working as hard as they can to quickly fix a problem with our check-in system,” the company said in a statement. “We are sorry for the delays some customers are experiencing as they check in for their flights.” The extent of the computer problem, which first emerged late Monday in North America, was not immediately clear. The airline said the issue had been resolved by technicians early Tuesday morning in London. It advised passengers booked on Tuesday flights to check in online or via the airline’s mobile applications before reaching the airport, to minimize further delays.
“This has affected a number of our airports,” it added. “Our teams are working as hard as they can to resolve the issue.” “The check-in system is now working and customers are being checked in as normal in London and overseas, although it may take longer than usual,” the airline said in a statement.
The problems continued to impact at least some flights on Tuesday. British Airways said that it was checking in customers on Tuesday at Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport in the London area but that “it is taking longer than usual.” “We apologize to our customers for the delay and we appreciate their patience,” it added. “Our colleagues are doing everything possible to check in customers for their journeys.”
The extent of the problem was not immediately clear, but customers voiced their frustration online from multiple airports in the United States. The airline responded to each with some version of their statement to the news media. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were among those affected. Travelers said that bottled water and snacks had been distributed at some airports as frustrated customers faced long lines to check in.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport were among those that appeared to be affected. Travelers said bottled water and snacks were distributed at some airports where frustrated customers faced long delays and agitated crowds at check-in desks. That did not stop customers at United States airports from expressing their frustration on Twitter.
The airline responded to each Twitter post with some version of its statement to the news media.
The troubles at British Airways were not the only ones to cause travel headaches on Tuesday.
Dozens of flights to and from London City Airport, near the heart of the British capital’s financial district, were canceled or diverted after a small number of activists from the group Black Lives Matter staged a sit-in, blocking the airport’s only runway.
The protest, which began before dawn, is the latest in a series of demonstrations across Britain by the group against social injustices like police brutality and reported increases in discrimination against migrants since the country’s vote to withdraw from the European Union.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said that officers had arrested seven protesters who had erected a tripod-shaped structure on the runway and locked themselves to it.
It was not immediately clear how the group had managed to breach the perimeter of the airport, part of which borders the Thames. The police said that the seven arrested would be charged with aggravated trespassing, being unlawfully in a restricted zone and breaching the airport’s bylaws.
London City Airport, which serves close to 12,000 passengers a day, apologized to fliers for the disruption, saying that normal operations would resume as soon as possible.
This has been a difficult summer for airlines, many of which have had to contend with technical problems that lead to delays, cancellations and thousands of angry customers.This has been a difficult summer for airlines, many of which have had to contend with technical problems that lead to delays, cancellations and thousands of angry customers.
Last month, Delta Air Lines canceled more than 1,500 flights after the failure of a piece of equipment in its Atlanta facility led to the worldwide shutdown of its computer systems. A similar error hit Southwest Airlines in July, forcing it to cancel about 2,300 flights over the course of four days. Last month, Delta Air Lines canceled more than 1,500 flights after the failure of a piece of equipment in Atlanta led to the worldwide shutdown of its computer systems. A similar malfunction affected Southwest Airlines in July, forcing it to cancel about 2,300 flights over four days.