JFK Airport computer glitch delays passengers, officials say
Kennedy Airport, in an undated photo. In a statement, British Airways apologized to passengers for any inconvenience and said it worked hard to assist customers during a computer outage on Sunday, May 29, 2016, and to ensure that all flights departed. Credit: Getty Images / AFP / Trevor Collens
A computer system breakdown Sunday at Kennedy Airport’s Terminal 7 has led to flight delays and a backlog of thousands of passengers waiting to be checked into their flights manually, Port Authority officials said.
The issue, which began at about 4 p.m., has forced airlines to scrap their standard check-in procedures and instead handwrite boarding passes for Memorial Day weekend travelers, Port Authority spokesman Neal Buccino said.
Officials said the computer shutdown was affecting only Terminal 7, which is operated by British Airways, though the airline leases space to other carriers including Iberia, Qantas, and Cathay Pacific.
British Airways has been fielding passenger complaints of chaotic lines and long waits on Twitter, responding that “the delay was out of our control.”
The other five terminals at JFK have been asked to accept inbound flights originally scheduled to arrive at Terminal 7, Buccino said, adding that it’s unclear when the situation will be resolved.
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