Luggage Glitch Snarls JFK

American Airlines' computer system breaks down
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jul 30, 2008 8:20 PM CDT
Luggage Glitch Snarls JFK
People pass luggage inside Terminal 8 at JFK International Airport in New York, Wednesday, July 30, 2008.    (AP Photo/Rick Maiman)

A software glitch continues to cripple the baggage-handling system in an American Airlines terminal at JFK airport. The malfunction is giving headaches to passengers flying out of Terminal 8, one of the newer buildings at the airport. Thousands of customers had to leave their luggage behind and hope it would be delivered later. Hundreds of bags accumulated in the terminal lobby.

The problem developed about 4:45 am, when a piece of software failed in the computer that reads the bar code on each piece of tagged luggage. When the system shut down, employees had to try to sort bags by hand. At last five American flights have been canceled and scores have been delayed. (More JFK Airport stories.)

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