MARKET NEWS
British Airways flights around the world are being delayed due to a ‘technical issue’ - CNBC
KEY POINTS
- British Airways flights around the world are still at risk of severe delays.
- The airline has told passengers there is a “technical issue.”
- Some reports say that BA’s global flight planning system may be compromised.
Jack Taylor | Stringer
An unknown number of British Airways flights have been delayed in what the airline has blamed on a “technical issue.”
The social media team of the airline took to Twitter late Wednesday in an attempt to reassure passengers that steps were being taken to accommodate passengers affected by delays and cancellations.
We're sorry for any disruption. Our teams are working hard to resolve a technical issue which is affecting some of our flights, and we are rebooking customers onto alternative flights and offering hotel accommodation where they are unable to continue their journeys tonight. Letty
On its website, British Airways also warned passengers that while it still planned to operate a full schedule on Thursday “there may be some knock-on delays to flights.”
The U.K. flag carrier has suffered a series of bruising jabs to its reputation in recent months, including at least two other computer failures, a pilot strike, and a massive data breach.
Shares in British Airways parent company, International Airlines Group, slipped around 1% on Thursday morning. The share price is more than 14% lower on a 12-month basis.
One customer claimed on Twitter that while stuck on the tarmac in San Jose late Thursday, the pilot had warned passengers that the “entire flight planning system is down.”
British_Airways sitting on a plane in SJC after boarding everyone and we can’t takeoff because the entire flight planning system is down!! Should tell us that before boarding everyone!
In an emailed response to CNBC, the airline declined to elaborate on the nature of the problem but firmly rejected any suggestion that any of its systems had been hacked into.