Pilotcenter.net News reported that British Airways (BA) faced a significant IT meltdown on November 18, 2024, causing widespread disruptions to its flights throughout Europe. The technical glitch, which began around 5:00 pm local time, left passengers stranded at airports across the United Kingdom as flights were delayed or canceled. According to a spokesperson for the airline speaking to CNN, the issue affected some of their systems, leading to operational challenges.

During the chaos, British Airways pilots were forced to revert to manual procedures to submit flight plans as electronic systems were down. The Mirror reported on November 18, 2024, that pilots had to call the operations center at Heathrow Airport (LHR), BA’s main hub in London, to coordinate their flights.

Frustrated passengers took to social media to voice their complaints about the delays. One traveler waiting for a BA flight in Hamburg lamented how pilots were grounded until they received clearance to depart, emphasizing the challenges caused by the technical troubles.

The disruptions persisted throughout the evening until British Airways finally resolved the IT issue on November 19, 2024. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical role technology plays in modern air travel and the potential impact when systems fail.