Thousands of travellers faced chaos and frustration as British Airways experienced a catastrophic system failure that brought operations to a standstill. The major IT outage, which began on Tuesday morning, has resulted in significant flight disruptions affecting passengers across multiple UK airports.
Airport Scenes Descend into Chaos
At Heathrow and Gatwick, scenes of confusion unfolded as passengers queued for hours while BA staff struggled with malfunctioning check-in systems. The airline confirmed they were experiencing "technical issues" affecting their operations, though failed to provide a timeline for resolution.
"We're working to resolve a technical issue we're facing with our systems," a British Airways spokesperson stated, adding that "we've apologised to customers for the disruption."
Passenger Frustration Mounts
Social media platforms flooded with complaints from stranded travellers sharing images of lengthy queues and expressing frustration over the lack of communication. Many reported being unable to check in online or at airport kiosks, while others faced last-minute flight cancellations.
The disruption comes during a busy travel period, compounding the misery for families and business travellers alike. Passengers have been advised to check their flight status before heading to airports and allow extra time for their journeys.
Recovery Efforts Underway
British Airways ground crews and technical teams are working around the clock to restore systems and minimise the knock-on effects. However, with flights already cancelled and delays expected to continue throughout the day, the airline faces a significant challenge in clearing the backlog.
This incident marks another blow to the airline's reputation, following previous IT failures that have grounded flights in recent years. Industry experts suggest such outages highlight the vulnerability of modern airline operations to technical glitches.
