Southwest Airlines Hit by Internet Outage, Flights Temporarily Halted
Travel plans were disrupted for Southwest Airlines passengers on Thursday as a widespread internet outage temporarily grounded flights across the country. The airline confirmed that a brief outage affected its dispatching and operations system, leading to a pause in departures.
According to a Southwest Airlines spokesperson, the system issues began earlier in the day. The outage impacted the airline's ability to efficiently manage flight schedules and dispatch aircraft, prompting the temporary halt to ensure safety and prevent further disruptions.
Passengers reported confusion and delays at airports nationwide. Some were already boarded when the outage occurred, while others received notifications of delays via text message. One passenger, Robbie Kohart, stated his flight to Cleveland was delayed by about an hour. Amy Webber shared her experience of being asked to deplane after boarding, awaiting further instructions.
The airline issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience, emphasizing the safety of passengers and employees as their top priority. "Southwest Airlines temporarily paused departures this afternoon due to a brief internet outage that affected the airline’s dispatching and operations system. The system has been restored and departures are resuming. We apologize to our Customers for any inconvenience. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees," the statement read.
System Restored, Delays Persist
As of 2 p.m. EST, Southwest Airlines announced that the system had been restored, and departures were resuming. However, the ripple effect of the outage is expected to cause continued delays throughout the day. Reports indicate that nearly 40% of Southwest Airlines flights nationwide are experiencing delays.
Travelers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport and to allow for extra time due to potential congestion. Passengers can monitor updates on the Southwest Airlines website or mobile app.
- Check your flight status online.
- Allow for extra travel time.
- Monitor airport updates.