The failure of Delta Air Lines worldwide computer network this week spotlights the vulnerability of the information systems sustaining the biggest U.S. carriers, Bloomberg reports. It also marks a wake-up call for the airline industry in which outdated information systems can leave thousands of passengers stranded.
Each of the largest U.S. carriers have contended with major disruptions during the last year. Complex networks cobbled together over the decades need major overhauls requiring significant new investments, says Bob Edwards, a former chief information officer for United Continental Holdings, who retired in 2014 under pressure after several service disruptions.
Recent flaws in computer systems quickly escalated into corporate black eyes that exacted costs in both money and reputation.
“I don’t believe the flight ops, maintenance, passenger service systems, crew and dispatch applications are engineered with the level of redundancy needed,” Edwards tells Bloomberg, adding that more disruptions are a near certainty. “Mistakes will happen, devices will malfunction.”
The Atlanta-based Delta, which had been leading major carriers in reliability, is far from alone in stumbling. Southwest Airlines says a July 20 computer failure would cost it “tens of millions” of dollars after more than 2,300 flights were canceled.
Delta scrapped about 800 flights on Tuesday, after about 1,000 cancellations Monday. The airline began today with about 150 cancellations and says it expects to resume normal operation by mid-to-late afternoon. Check-in, boarding and dispatch systems were working normally, with most delays related to crew location and limits on hours worked.
Delta spent “hundreds of millions of dollars” on technology upgrades and backup systems in the last three years to avoid such an outcome, Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian has said.
