Delta Flights Grounded Due To Worldwide System Outage

By Camila Domonoske
A Delta plane is seen on the tarmac in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on July 14.
A Delta plane is seen on the tarmac in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on July 14.
A Delta plane is seen on the tarmac in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on July 14.
A Delta plane is seen on the tarmac in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on July 14.

Delta Flights Grounded Due To Worldwide System Outage

By Camila Domonoske
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(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Updated at 9:00 a.m. ET

Delta flights around the world this morning have been indefinitely delayed due to “computer outage,” the company says.

A power outage in Atlanta around 2:30 a.m. was responsible for the problem, the company said in a statement.

Flights that were already in the air when the outage began are unaffected, but flights that have not yet departed have been grounded.

As of 8:40 a.m. Eastern time, some flights are resuming, Delta says. But “cancellations and delays continue.”

“We are aware that flight status systems, including airport screens, are incorrectly showing flights on time,” Delta says. Meanwhile, passengers attempting to check in online or through Delta’s app report seeing error messages.

The problem is “system-wide” and happening “everywhere,” the company has said.

Twitter users report chaos and hours-long lines at airports around the world.

“Counter agent says she doesn’t know flight status,” Delta passenger Lee Lonsberry tweeted. “They’re instructed to check everyone in and wish us luck.”

Delta has not provided an estimate for how long it will take for flights to resume.

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