FAA computer glitch in Atlanta causes nationwide delays

A glitch in a flight-plan program used by pilots at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is impacting flights across the US this morning.

As of 8am EST, AirTran Airways spokesman Christopher White indicated that 22 flights had been canceled across the nation and “dozens” more have been delayed due to the problem, a glitch that forces pilots to manually enter flight plans. White told CNN that the delays are unlikely to clear up without impacting flights throughout the day:

White said the problem will have “a pretty major impact on operations” and the cancellations will have a ripple effect.

“We will be a mess all day,” he said.

The problem, which had no effect flight safety, began after 5am and lasted until about 9:40 am EST. Although delays are centered in Atlanta, the “ripple effect” of delayed flights means prospective travelers should check ahead before heading to the airport to ensure arrivals/departures have not been affected.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/11/19/travel.glitch/index.html