Jul 30, 2008 12:05 pm US/Eastern
Glitch Cripples NYC Airport Baggage System
American Airlines System At JFK Source Of Havoc
Customers Flying Without Luggage; About 25 Flights Delayed
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
American Airlines passengers have a new reason to be frustrated. A computer glitch in a baggage handling system is causing havoc at New York City's Kennedy Airport.
American Airlines says the software that controls the baggage sorting conveyor belt in the bag room malfunctioned Wednesday morning in terminal 8.
Since 4 a.m., departing passengers have been unable to fly with their luggage, while arriving passengers are unable to claim theirs.
The breakdown was galling to some passengers already steamed over the airline's recent decision to start charging fees for each checked bag on flights within the U.S. and Canada.
"I'm just not happy. I think it's crazy," said Mike Howell, who was en route to San Diego after visiting New York City. "If they do charge people 15 dollars per bag, they should get it right."
About 25 flights have been delayed by at least an hour while technicians try to resolve the problem.
Employees are sorting bags manually, and American Airlines has sent 250 bags to Newark and 220 bags to LaGuardia airports to be sorted. They will then send the bags on flights to the proper destinations, but a lot of bags are not making it on to the flights before their departures. Passengers are given the option to choose whether they board the flight or not, with or without their luggage.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner said once the issue is resolved, all bags left behind will be sent on their way to each passenger's location.
"Until then, we appreciate our customers' patience as we work through this issue," Wagner said.
The airline's engineers and technicians from the system developer were working to diagnose the problem, he said.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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