Chinedu Eze
UK mega carrier, British Airways has cancelled its Lagos-London and other flights around the world due to computer glitch. Thousands of passengers were stranded at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London and other airports around the world.
In Nigeria stranded passengers were disappointed that they could not leave for London last night even as the airline ‎assured them that it would reschedule their flight as it moved to resolve the glitch.
THISDAY learnt that airline officials had to manually process passengers at airports including San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix, delaying the departures of dozens of London-bound transatlantic flights.
This means that passengers already booked on the BA flights could not travel as officials of the airline in Lagos were frantically working to reach virtually all the intending travellers on the problem which grounded the airline’s operations worldwide.
TISDAY also learnt that Abuja flight which left early yesterday was not affected because the computer glitch, as the airline said there was no evidence to indicate the airline’s system was hacked.
BA Country Commercial Manager, Mr. Kola Olayinka was reported to have explained that Lagos flight expected to depart at 11.40pm Saturday was cancelled as the plane could not leave London because of the problem. He was also reported to have explained that the Abuja flight departed shortly before the glitch.
“Tonight’s flight (Saturday night) has been cancelled. The Abuja flight left before the glitch. They are trying to resolve the problem. The flight left before the glitch. It will be resolved. Our flight tonight to Lagos has been cancelled and we are hoping to restore the problems as soon as possible.
“We are working closely with the airline to resolve this and are advising passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airportâ€, Olayinka was quoted to have said.
