Computer Failure Delays United Flights Nationwide

 

Passengers were stranded at airports across the country Friday night after a failure in United Airlines’ computer system, the airline said.

The disruption set off widespread delays at airports in San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, with many passengers left sitting in terminals or stuck on planes that were grounded.

United said in a statement that the problems began at 8:15 p.m. New York time, when the computer failure knocked out its flight departures, airport processing and reservations systems. The statement did not address the nationwide delays, and a spokesman did not return a phone call seeking comment.

It was not clear what had set off the computer failure, but United said in its statement that it had a technology team in place that was struggling to restore the system.

“We apologize for the disruption being caused to travelers at affected airports, and we are seeking to resume operations as quickly as possible,” the airline said.

Just before 2:00 a.m. New York time, United updated its Twitter feed to say it had started to resolve the problem.

"Our systems are up. We are in the process of resuming ops for UA," the Twitter message said.

Passengers at San Francisco International Airport reported a chaotic scene at the United terminal, while others waiting for flights at various airports around the country took to Twitter as they sat in limbo.

“Sitting on the plane in Chicago wanting to go home so badly but the whole computer system at United Airlines has shut down,” wrote @RonRhoads. “Delayed!”

Another stranded passenger, @mettlinger, posted from Dulles International Airport, or IAD: “Latest announcement at IAD: ‘Every computer system United Airlines has is down ... Our computers are paperweights.’?”

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The Bay Citizen: Willie Brown Academy, Born in 1992 With High Hopes, Will Close in May, a Failure

But those dreams have been thoroughly dashed, and the 160-student school is set to close May 27, largely as a result of chronic student underachievement and high truancy. And for those unfortunate enough to be a part of its final months, conditions have gone from bad to worse.

Parents, teachers and some officials acknowledge a breakdown in teaching and discipline. Students roam the hallways during class time. One teacher has often shown movies rather than press ahead with science lessons. A pack of students looted the school store, with impunity.

Jonathan Woahn, a seventh-grade math teacher, noted that few top district leaders had set foot in the school after announcing last year that it would close.

“The kids rule the school,” Mr. Woahn said. “I think administrators just want us to hold on through the rest of the school year; there are no expectations beyond that.”

Marylin Taylor, whose son Romeo Reeves is an eighth grader at Willie Brown, agreed. Ms. Taylor said staff members took an indifferent approach not only to students, letting them run through the hallways and “holler,” but also sometimes to parents. She said she had left two messages recently with the principal’s office to discuss her son’s academic progress but had not received a return call.

“My son was unable to live up to his highest potential at this school,” said Ms. Taylor, a nursing staffing coordinator. “I am so happy that he won’t be attending that school anymore.”

Patricia Gray, an assistant superintendent in the San Francisco Unified School District, said administrators had persevered.

“It is not ideal,” Ms. Gray said, “but the alternative to doing what we are doing now was to close the school in December, which would have displaced the kids midyear.

“Learning is the main focus. Now, how much of it is happening? It’s difficult at this time. But we have not given up.”

Jill Wynns, a school board member, said the district had tried mightily to raise student achievement. But the school has languished in recent years and been judged harshly under the rules of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

When the federal government granted the district $45 million last year to improve its worst-performing schools, the district moved to close Willie Brown — in part because its facilities were crumbling. Officials hope to build a new school in its place.

“Do I think we have done the best job we could at that school in recent years?” Ms. Wynns asked. “No. That’s why I think it’s time to go on to the next opportunity. In this case, the next opportunity we have is closing the school.”