How A Computer Glitch Can Destroy Your Travel Plans

We all hate travel delays. Whether it’s bad weather grounding flights, staff strikes canceling journeys, or heavy traffic holding us back, the end result is always a sense of helpless frustration. But there’s one type of delay that can mess with your travel plans beyond all others—the dreaded computer glitch.

In November 2017, reports from ABC and Reuters suggested a computer glitch in the American Airlines system led to all of the airline’s pilots being allowed to take vacation during the week of Christmas. The error has the potential to ground thousands of planes during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

The union that represents pilots predicted that over 15,000 planes would lack pilot assignments in December. “On Friday, management disclosed a failure within the pilot schedule bidding system,” the Allied Pilots Association said in a statement on November 28. “As a result, thousands of flights currently do not have pilots assigned to fly them during the upcoming critical holiday period.”

In this case, the airline may have caught the problem early enough to find a solution, although it will likely be a costly one. “We are working diligently to address the issue and expect to avoid cancellations this holiday season,” American Airlines said in a statement. “We have reserve pilots to help cover flying in December, and we are paying pilots who pick up certain open trips 150 percent of their hourly rate—as much as we are allowed to pay them per the contract.”

These types of problems are on the milder scale of computer problems for air travel. In 2015, LOT Polish Airways flights were grounded after hackers targeted the ground computers which issue flight plans. In total, 20 flights were canceled and many more were delayed, but the thought of an airline being hacked caused widespread concern. It’s one thing to suffer a security breach when flights are on the ground, but another type of worry entirely if hackers were to target a plane mid-flight.

Computer problems aren’t exclusive to the airline industry, of course. In Melbourne in July 2017, an entire train network was brought to a halt after a computer glitch hit during peak commuter hour. Thousands of people were left stranded at stations, and some were even stuck on trains in tunnels between stations for as long as two hours.

All forms of travel will become more automated and advanced in the future, and this will likely expose them further to computer glitches and even hacking. The travel industry will need to ensure security keeps pace with innovation to avoid mass delays, or worse, in years to come.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.