British Airways Flights Snarled By Latest IT Glitch — Skift Business Traveler

WHAT TO KNOW NOW

It hasn’t been a good year for IT glitches in the airline industry.  Southwest Airlines was the first carrier to experience network outages early this summer after an aging router kicked the bucket. Not to be outdone, Delta then doubled down and had its own meltdown (to the tune of $100 million), thanks in part to a small fire at its Atlanta headquarters.

Today, British Airways is up to bat. Though it’s still unclear what the exact issue is, passengers across the British network are currently reporting delays from the check in counter to the departure gate. According to Flight Aware, active flights out of Heathrow are experiencing delays averaging 29 minutes.

Whatever the cause, passengers are advised to arrive at the airport earlier than normal and give British Airways a bit of breathing room. It could be a long week for the airline.

SOCIAL QUOTE OF THE DAY

Patdepar Retweeted Business Insider
First @Delta than @British_Airways Who’s next ?

– @patdepar | Pat Depar, Journaliste Pigiste

AIRLINES

British Airways Hit by Another IT Glitch: British Airways travelers are suffering delays globally due to computer glitches in the check-in systems, with the company warning that there may be further trouble. Read more at Skift

La Compagnie Blames Brexit for London Route Suspension: All-business-class carrier La Compagnie has pointed the finger at Brexit for its decision to suspend its London-New York service. Read more at Skift

Air France-KLM to Try a Different Way to Transform Its Airlines: Air France-KLM Group will overhaul its restructuring efforts, moving away from the previous chief executive’s strategy that strained relations with pilots, to a more conciliatory approach called “Trust Together,” said a person familiar with the plans. Read more at Skift

AIRPORTS

TSA Precheck Expands to Lufthansa Passengers Headed to Europe: The Transportation Security Administration’s Precheck program has been steadily expanding throughout the United States over the last few years, adding new members and airports every day. Now, with a new partnership with German carrier Lufthansa, the program is officially making inroads into the European Union. Read more at Skift

‘You’re at war:’ I went inside the new TSA Academy, where officers learn to detect bombs, spot weapons, and find out why failure isn’t an option: What is TSA’s mission? Academy students should know — they recite it every morning before classes begin: “To protect the nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.” Read more at Business Insider

British Airways Cuts Back Its Business-Class-Only New York to London Service: British Airways will cut one of its two daily flights from London City Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy International hub, slashing capacity on a business-class-only service that began in 2009. Read more at Skift

TECH

5 New Travel Startups Taking Photos and Videos to New Heights: Photo and video technology have evolved extensively in the past year. Virtual reality, Facebook 360-degree photos and video, Snapchat and Instagram Stories all show travelers there are new ways to discover destinations. Read more at Skift

DJI’s folding ‘Mavic’ drone images leak out: DJI’s Adam Najberg recently told Engadget that if the average consumer is going to buy a drone, “size is going to be an issue. Also ease of use.” Judging by a recent leak, the company may not be just musing about such a product. Drone site Heliguy leaked an image of a small camera drone that collapses down for easy transport. If accurate, it could be called the “Mavic,” a name DJI recently trademarked. Read more at Engadget

Uber Loses Early Battle to Lyft Over Fake Ride Dirty Trick Claims: While Uber Technologies Inc. fights to keep its own drivers out of court with their grievances, it can’t force arbitration on Lyft Inc. drivers who accuse the ride-hailing behemoth of dirty tricks. Read more at Skift

HOTELS

Waldorf Astoria New York’s Secrets Range From a Train Station to Clandestine Entrance: In a city where glitzy debuts fade to boring old spots within a matter of months, the iconic Waldorf Astoria has endured for 85 years. Newcomers like the Baccarat and the Park Hyatt have a sleeker, more modern sense of luxury. Some classic spots, such as the St. Regis, with its beloved King Cole Bar, draw in New York’s socialites by the droves. But the Waldorf’s timeless allure is a result of something else entirely: mystery. Read more at Skift

Hilton’s Newest App Feature Ups the Game in Guest Personalization: Hilton Worldwide is testing out a new mobile app feature that brings Minority Report to life. Read more at Skift

Expedia Is Now Helping Marriott Sell Hotels on the Chain’s Website: Expedia Inc., which gets the majority of its revenue from selling hotel stays and has been battling with the major chains over their direct-booking efforts, is now helping Marriott International sell more hotel rooms away from Expedia turf and on Marriott’s sites. Read more at Skift

Cuba’s Hotel Challenges: A Guide to All the Projects in Process: The surge in visitors to Cuba, brought on by the December 2014 detente between the island and the U.S., caught the Caribbean nation unaware. Read more at Skift

YOUR TURN

Over the weekend, Jodi Ettenberg from Legal Nomads published a great series on her most embarrassing moments on the road. See it here.

TIPS AND COMMENTS AND COMMENTS

Can be sent to gm[at]skift[dot]com or to @grantkmartin

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