British Airways faces major IT outage causing flight delays

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British Airways faces major IT outage causing flight delays

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Airbus A380 | Airbus

By Sky Industry News

Nov 19, 2024

British Airways experienced a significant IT issue on Monday evening, leading to communication problems with pilots and operational disruptions. Flights faced delays both in and out of the UK, causing passengers to express concerns about their travel plans on social media.

The incident occurred on November 18 around 17:00 when British Airways' operations were affected by an IT outage. Pilots from various locations reported difficulties in communicating with the airline's operations center. Despite these challenges, British Airways stated that flights continued but acknowledged delays for some services as they worked to resolve the issue. Reports indicated that planes scheduled to fly into the UK were delayed on the ground before eventually taking off.

At London Heathrow Airport, British Airways' main hub, several outbound flights experienced delays, including long-haul services to destinations like the US and Asia. The airline issued an apology to customers for the disruptions caused.

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The technical problem was eventually resolved. A spokesperson from Heathrow told The Guardian, "The technical issue impacting British Airways has now been resolved. Our teams remain on hand to support British Airways to help passengers on their way as quickly as possible."

Passengers shared their experiences online during this period of uncertainty. One passenger in Vienna requested updates from the airline regarding what they termed a "pc outage," while others noted issues with accessing the airline's website and apps due to high traffic volumes. Another passenger mentioned, "Pilot said system is now fixed, but there is going to be a big delay. He has suggested we will be sat on the plane for 1 hour before departure."

This incident is not unprecedented for British Airways; similar disruptions occurred in May 2023 when numerous flights were canceled or delayed due to another technical issue possibly linked to an internal IT system failure.

IT outages are not exclusive to British Airways; other airlines have also faced similar challenges globally. In July of this year, a glitch affected several airlines worldwide, resulting in over 6,000 flight cancellations in one day and significant financial losses.