Computer glitch causes UA's flight slowdown
By Andrew Compart, Travel Weekly | Jan. 05, 2006
A computer problem with United's passenger processing system delayed about 150 of United's 3,700 flights worldwide Jan. 3, airline spokesman Jeff Green said.
The system's mainframe was down from about 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central Standard Time, and caused an average delay of 60 minutes, Green said. Employees had to check-in customers manually or with a lot more computer key strokes than normal using a back-up system, and they had to hand-write baggage tags.
United is investigating the cause and has plans to upgrade the system, although Green could not provide a timetable.
The problems came as United revealed it plans to spend $400 million this year on capital improvements, more than in any year since 2001. The airline will use the money to upgrade computer systems, add more check-in kiosks, refurbish aircraft interiors and buy new ground equipment, COO Peter McDonald said in a Jan. 3 message to employees.
United said it remains on track to emerge from Chapter 11 in February. Its creditors approved the airline's reorganization plan Dec. 30; the next step is approval from the bankruptcy court, with a hearing scheduled to begin Jan. 18.