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As if flying United wasn’t already bad enough, the Chicago-based airline has grounded all domestic flights today because of a computer automation issue.
It is manually boarding every passenger — a process that will surely take forever.
Massive system fail: #FAA confirms #UA computers down nationwide. Ticket agents checking us in with pen & paper. #cnn pic.twitter.com/8YAIAEclYG
— Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) July 8, 2015
July 8, 2015 846a EDT United Airlines reservation system: SHARES kiosks down in IND & worldwide. All flights halted pic.twitter.com/dGQ3BagRUi
— Jim Bowden (@bowdenj) July 8, 2015
From The Boston Globe:
United Airlines’ US departures have all been halted because of a computer fault, the second such setback for the carrier in less than six weeks.
“Automation issues” triggered the move, the US Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday. United flights already airborne are continuing to operate, according to aircraft- tracking website Flightradar24.
“We experienced a network connectivity issue this morning,” United spokesman Luke Punzenberger said by e-mail. “We are working to resolve this and apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.”
This sounds so unbelievably miserable for an average traveler. After waiting god-knows how long to inch through the security line before dawn this morning, these passengers show up to their United gate ready to get the hell out of the airport only to find the airline is experiencing a completely avoidable computer glitch.
How does a major U.S. carrier experience such a disastrous glitch? Apparently, United hasn’t figured it out yet. This is the second major computer glitch that has grounded flights in a matter of weeks.
As a seasoned traveler, here is my definitive list of the best airlines to use when traveling domestically:
1. Southwest
2. Virgin America
3. JetBlue
4. American
5. Amtrak
6. Delta
7. Walking
8. Just not going
9. US Airways
10. United
It costs anywhere between $25,000-$100,000 to charter flights. Sometimes, spending the extra money is just worth it..
[via Boston Globe]
Image via Twitter
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11. Injecting yourself with H1N1.
12. Spirit.
I’m booked on a United red eye tonight. This should go well.
Southwest is great if you travel infrequently and/or only travel within one state of where you live.
If you travel across multiple states and travel for work, lack of airport lounges, first class upgrades and being able to reserve your seat make SW go way down the list.
I had something similar happen to me while flying out of Toronto a few years back. Their entire computer system glitched and shut down, so they were keeping track of every airborne plane via chalkboard. Really makes you appreciate how much stress ATCs are consistently under.
I was flying United last time this happened (it was about a month and a half ago). I’ve racked up around $1,200 in vouchers from United the past year.
Positives: lots of free flights/1st class upgrades and I get a lot of work done in the airport.
Negatives: airport food sucks.
So your the guy that steals my upgrades these days. Was wonder who the suckers were that actually buy up on domestic routes. Sorry bitter, my upgrade rate this year has seemed to plunge.
Delta, the Greyhound of the airline industry, should be between getting AIDS and eating a live scorpion, neither in any particular order.
Real seasoned traveler there chief. Amtrak isn’t an airline and you’d rate them over delta? U.S. Airways doesn’t even exist anymore. The greyhound bus of airlines is top choice? This really must be a joke.
Ive never heard of “Just not going” airlines either.
Woosh
It must really be hard being that fucking stupid
Shutup, Prex.
Humor is hard for some people. I bet you’re wondering why you’ve never flown on “walking” airlines either, aren’t you?
No but some of us actually work in the airline industry.
We should “prex” prex.