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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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 ANALYSIS 
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FAA Delays: Same Problem, No Solutions

Agency learned little—if that—from previous, too-similar failures

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(Newser) – A software glitch that left thousands of passengers delayed or stranded at US airports yesterday is becoming a familiar problem with the Federal Aviation Administration, Kevin Kelleher writes in Portfolio. Pretty much the same thing—a cascade of overloaded servers—happened last week, and last year. "With 20-20 hindsight, the FAA should be able to respond quickly, right?" Kelleher protests.

A spokesman for air-traffic workers claims they weren't even told about the outage, saying the FAA "is pretty much out of control right now." After several inconsistent answers to media queries, an FAA spokesman was asked how many people were getting skewered because of this snafu. He responded: "I think it's primarily public affairs."

A traveler waits in Texas after being stranded because of the FAA's computer failure yesterday.
A traveler waits in Texas after being stranded because of the FAA's computer failure yesterday.   (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
An electronic communication failure yesterday caused mass flight delays around the country.
An electronic communication failure yesterday caused mass flight delays around the country.   (AP Photo/Edouard H.R. Gluck)
Departure board at the United Airlines terminal at O'Hare International Airport yesterday after the FAA computer glitch.
Departure board at the United Airlines terminal at O'Hare International Airport yesterday after the FAA computer glitch.   (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
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UPDATED

FAA Says Airport Computer Glitch Fixed

System broke down in both Atlanta and Salt Lake City

Nov 19, 09 9:56 AM CST
(AP) - FAA officials say failed computers that delayed flights across the country are now working again. The air traffic controllers union says the computer failure involved both of the Federal Aviation Administration's computer centers in Salt Lake City and Atlanta, which handle flight plans for air traffic throughout the country. More »

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Nov 19, 09 8:23 AM CST
(AP) - A problem with the FAA system that collects airlines' flight plans has caused widespread flight cancellations and delays across the US today. An FAA spokeswoman says she doesn't know how many flights are being affected or when the problem will be resolved, but the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's... More »

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Miscommunication marked regulator's response to stray airliner

Nov 13, 09 3:29 PM CST
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