World wide computer glitch creating check-in havoc

[harrowing]

I just heard on the late night news of a world wide computer glitch creating check-in havoc with numerous airlines. Is this the media making a mountain out of a molehill or will we all read about in tomorrow's papers?
As it daybreak in the USA at the moment, perhaps they will be the first to feel it. From a systems point of view, how many separate networks are there and is there a weakest link?

[Hartington]

Well, given the way that so many airlines subcontract their various computer functions it's not totally surprising that when one has a problem, so do many others. After all how many hosting systems are there.... Amadeus, Sabre, Worldspan....?

Things are changing as systems migrate away from mainframes to "Open Systems" but it used to be the case that when a mainframe system suffered a problem it would shed less important applications one by one (even reservations) until almost the only things left were departure control and safety critical applications. That would usually allow the system to get itself back together again without needing to restart it (which was a big issue).

[Bruce Wayne]

atch! in co-ordination with the release of windows 7 !! :}

[p.j.m]

First I've heard of it was in your panic-stricken "worldwide havoc" headline.

First surfaced in the news last night around 7pm, referencing a 2pm problem, so over 18 hours ago now.

Qantas delays (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/qantas-checkin-meltdown-causes-major-delays-20091117-iil7.html)

The Amadeus system crashed at 2pm, throwing Qantas and other major airlines into chaos before it was rectified just after 8pm.

[boaclhryul]

Apparently "world wide" is QANTAS:

Qantas check-in meltdown causes major delays (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/qantas-checkin-meltdown-causes-major-delays-20091117-iil7.html)

[p.j.m]

Apparently "world wide" is QANTAS:

Qantas and 485 other airlines across the world.

AdelaideNow... Qantas check-ins thrown into chaos after computer system failure (http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26358603-5005962,00.html)

All Qantas flights across the country were affected, along with another 485 airlines across the world.

Possibly the timezone differences minimised the effect in other parts of the world.

[zzoott]

the armudaus server in germany went down for about 3 hours from approx 0600 utc. did not only involve qf but delays were up to 60 minutes depending on the port although Ibelieve most delays were arround 15-30 minutes. syd would have not been helped due to closure thru thunderstorms in early evening

[Bo777]

Its high time Qantas starts mounting civil action against these news outlets that seem they can vilify the airline without a second thought. "Qantas meltdown causes delays" (national nine news)... the media seem to think they have a mandate to destroy the reputation of Qantas.:*

[Tiger35]

I was paxing from ML to BN last night and got caught up in the check-in delay. Standing in the queue for an hour was not fun.

QF guys and gals quickly (half an hour or so) implemented a manual check-in system that worked really well. It makes you wonder why they rely on computers serviced in India when the manual system worked so well. (I know the answer is related to MAN POWER)

I arrived only half an hour late and with my bags so happy customer.

Well done under adverse conditions.:D

[Buster Hyman]

I heard QF's system went down because a Bronze Frequent Flier got an upgrade...

[777WakeTurbz]

Its high time Qantas starts mounting civil action against these news outlets that seem they can vilify the airline without a second thought.I agree, i saw the report on the news this morning on Channel 7 and couldnt decipher whether it was actually a worldwide airline issue or just a worldwide QANTAS issue due the fact all they were talking about was Qantas and showing only footage of Qantas aircraft at various airports around the globe... :yuk:

Surely there is something QF can do about the media sh!tstorm over any little issue that seems to arise, for instance the go around a QF a/c had to conduct due to tower instructions because of traffic slow to vacate a runway... NOT newsworthy material unless they have a red tail obviously. :mad:

[harrowing]

GobonaStick
"Panic-stricken" was surely your knee jerk reaction to the words I used from the news report.
FYI, I quote from one article:
"All Qantas flights across the country were affected, along with another 485 airlines across the world.
Major airlines such as British Airways, Air France, South African Airways, Thai Airways, Lufthansa and United Airlines were all affected in the global check-in chaos."
If 486 airlines is such chickenfeed to you, would the second coming be lucky to make it to the social pages? :ugh: