British Airways apologized after flights from the United States were delayed late Monday by a technical issue, leaving countless travelers stuck in airports for hours.
British Airways said in a statement later Tuesday that “our teams have now resolved a temporary issue that affected some of our long-haul flight planning systems overnight, which resulted in delays to our schedule.”
Customer complaints had been appearing from destinations across the United States, including New York, Boston, Denver and Dallas. The delays hit just at the beginning of the peak Christmas travel period. About 1 a.m., aviation firm Flightradar24 reported that only about 50 percent of scheduled flights were in the air but that “flights across the system” were departing.
British Airways offered refreshments to some passengers on the ground, while online staff offered banter. One representative on Twitter, “Kit,” responded to a stranded customer nursing a glass of wine: “That sounds like the best way to deal with a delay, Chris. Have a good flight, and stay safe.”
That sounds like the best way to deal with a delay, Chris. Have a good flight, and stay safe. Kit
— British Airways (@British_Airways) December 20, 2022
It was far from the first time British Airways faced customers’ ire over social media. On Dec. 16, singer Katherine Jenkins complained about the airline losing her luggage — including an outfit meant for a performance for the pope — in a tweet that was liked more than 10,000 times.
OMG! @British_Airways have lost my bags AGAIN! I’m supposed to be singing tomorrow for the Pope’s Christmas concert in Rome. I feel so let down as I will not be able to perform. Please sort this out 🙏🏼
— Katherine Jenkins (@KathJenkins) December 15, 2022
Victoria Bisset in London contributed to this report.