PhotoLONDON — Flights were delayed and travelers struggled to check in at airports around the world on Thursday after a software program used by several major airlines went down. The program, known as Altea and developed by a company called Amadeus, encountered problems as a result of what Amadeus called a “network issue.” Altea helps airlines manage customer reservations, including tagging luggage and issuing boarding passes. Amadeus software is used by 189 airlines — including major carriers like British Airways, Lufthansa, Thai Airways and Air France — and Altea in particular is designed with full-service airlines in mind. Problems were reported at airports in Asia, Europe and the Americas, demonstrating the breadth of the software’s use as well as the integrated nature of modern air travel. The Star Alliance, which includes United, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada and Lufthansa among its 28 members, said that two-thirds of its airlines use Amadeus software, and that customers on their network were affected but issues were “kept to a minimum.”

Source: New York Times September 28, 2017 12:13 UTC