The scene was apparently bedlam at airports in cities across the country last night as United Airlines’ computer system totally failed, leaving thousands of flyers stranded for hours. So what the hell happened?
The airline called the problem a “network connectivity issue,” already in the midst of trying to resolve the issue. If that sounds vague, I’m with you. It was a serious one at that, knocking out their departures, processing, and reservations systems. Anxious passengers were left trapped on grounded planes, stuck in lines, and sitting in lobbies at airports in major cities like New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles. By 2 AM, United’s tech team had started to resolve the malfunction, allowing people to reach their destinations.
No statement has been made at to why United’s computer system’s failed, but they have been gracious enough to allow affected passengers to rebook their flights without penalties. It just leaves one to wonder: What could cause a malfunction of this size to affect such a major airline? Hackers again? [CNN, NYT]