Dozens of BA flights have been grounded after a major IT glitch hit company software, causing chaos for thousands of passengers across Europe.
Hundreds of passengers have been seen standing in the cold waiting to board their flights, while others have been stuck on planes awaiting clearance to take off.
The IT issue meant that pilots were unable to file flight plans electronically and had to manually call into the operations centre at Heathrow.
Pilots have also been unable to file ‘load sheets’ which are critical to aircraft safety. This calculates the weight and distribution of passengers, cargo and fuel and is used to calculate performance and efficiency.
Passengers started to report problems at around 5pm on Monday, but some reported the problem online before then.
It is understood pilots have been trying to keep passengers informed of any developments, but that crew members are as much in the dark as everyone else.
The airline’s bug-ridden website has been taken offline and both the external and internal phone lines have been cut off, according to reports.
One frustrated pilot on a packed BA jet at Valencia which was running more than an hour behind schedule said: ‘Apologies for this delay folks, there is a company wide IT failure and it means we have to call in our flight plans.
‘We are trying to speed things up but I don’t know how long it will take.’
On social media passengers also reported being stuck on the tarmac at Naples, Düsseldorf and Tenerife to make but a few locations.
Passengers are currently unable to access the BA website for online check-in and other services.
Alex Wedderburn, who is currently stuck at Verona airport, waiting for his BA flight home said: ‘British Airways, can you explain why you have hundreds of people waiting outside, in the cold, on the runaway, and there has been no communications, no collaboration from your staff, just silence and huge wait times.
‘All day, constant delays, and no indication on when you are going to board this plane.
‘This is flight BA 2591, Verona airport. Everyone here has just run the Verona marathon and is exhausted and frustrated.
‘Do you think this acceptable? Please find a solution asap!’
Another passenger wrote: ‘Absolute shambles three flights cancelled this month and now being made to stand on the tarmac in a very cold Verona waiting for an already delayed flight. What has happened to the nations airline? Not fit for purpose.’
In July last year airlines and travel were hit by chaos after a worldwide IT outage but this latest one appeared to be only affecting British Airways.
It is unclear whether it was a cyber attack or simply a computer malfunction and technicians were trying frantically to reboot computer systems at BA’s Heathrow HQ.
On X flight tracking app Flight Emergency said: ‘British Airways have lost all Communications to aircraft around Europe due to an IT outage, flights will be managed by Heathrow air traffic control to get inbound flights back to base.’
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.