New BA meltdown: Long delays after IT systems fail for SEVENTH time in a year
BRITISH Airways was labelled a budget airline yesterday after its check-in system crashed for the seventh time in a year.
Passengers arrived at Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports to find they all had to check in manually.
They complained of two-hour queues in the terminal, missed connections and even being stuck on the runway.
Check-in system failures also affected travellers to Scottish destinations including Glasgow, and European cities including Athens, Dubrovnik, Milan and Malta.
William Kilbride tweeted: ‘Why can’t I check in for my flight Madrid to Glasgow. Have small children, need seats together.’
Gemma Brown expressed anger that her flight from London City Airport was delayed. She said: ‘The 2030 Glasgow flight looks as if it’s going to leave before my delayed 1930 flight. Not good!’
BA apologised to passengers but insisted the IT failure lasted an hour and had been resolved by 8.45am.
The FLY check-in system has failed seven times since the company finished installing it at 200 airports last year.
In May, BA’s global computer network shut down after a power outage, causing flights to be delayed or cancelled.
Charlie Elphicke, Tory MP for Dover and Deal, said: ‘BA is meant to be the national flag carrier, not a budget airline.
‘It should have made sure their systems are up to the job. To have seven failures in 12 months is extraordinary.’
Critics say the axing of 700 IT jobs and outsource work to India has contributed to the issues. This has been denied by the airline.
BA chairman Alex Cruz has been criticised for scrapping free food for economy short-haul passengers. This was seen by many as a factor justifying them paying more to fly than with budget rivals.
A BA spokesman said: ‘We are very sorry for the minor delays to some customers this morning.’
Last June, shortly after the FLY system was fully installed, it stopped working and bags had to be checked in manually. Three more incidents followed in July, with Heathrow badly affected and Gatwick to a lesser extent.
In September, another gremlin in its computer network caused serious problems with BA checkin desks.
AS a friend, the Mail hesitates to offer advice to British Airways, which in the past has had a justified reputation for high quality. But the truth is Britain’s national carrier is in grave danger of losing the reputation it worked so hard to achieve.
The catastrophic IT meltdown in May which left tens of thousands stranded was a disaster. Meanwhile, cuts to the perks of flying BA – such as extra legroom and onboard meals and drinks – seem stingy.
Yesterday’s computer crash – the seventh in a year – will raise further questions about whether the airline’s obsession with cutting costs has gone too far. BA’s chief executive Alex Cruz has serious questions to answer.
AS he steps down from public life aged 96 after nearly seven decades of unstinting duty to Queen and Country, the Mail pays due tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. Even as his workload has diminished in recent years, the Iron Duke’s schedule of engagements still puts the diaries of the younger royals to shame. Those young royals would benefit greatly from studying the life of this remarkable man and his selfless commitment to sustaining the monarchy.