Systems failure creates havoc

[hari]

Teething problems or otherwise, BIAL is not having it easy. Computers at all the 53 check-in counters at the BIA crashed on Friday evening, upsetting passengers forced to wait in long queues.

The computers reportedly crashed at 4 pm. While some checked in by 4.45 pm, others couldn't do so till 5.30 pm. immediately after the crash, airlines shifted to manual check-in, leading to delays and long queues, especially for international flights.

A passenger expecting to board the post-6 pm Kingfisher flight to Mumbai called in to say he couldn't check in till 5.30 pm. "I've waited for quite a while and it's taking at least 10 minutes for each passenger to be cleared. I did not expect this of a new airport," he said.

The passenger said the frontage was packed. "Everybody was upset and restless. There were hundreds of passengers. As seating arrangements are inadequate, most were standing. We couldn't get proper drinking water. Coffee was available at just one counter and there was a long queue there too."

The passenger said for nearly an hour and a half, no official announcement was made on why the systems crashed. While BIAL staff didn't come forward with clarifications, airline staff tried to mollify passengers. "No announcement can be heard as the acoustics are bad. If you happen to be in a shop, you just can't hear anything," the passenger said.

When contacted, BIAL acknowledged the crash. A spokesperson said: "The crash did happen, but things were set right in 45 minutes." While it's not clear what caused the crash, BIAL attributed it to BSNL. "Our operations personnel tell us a BSNL exchange in Devanahalli experienced a power cut, because of which BIAL systems fell. All airlines have taken a line from BSNL and that's why the problem occurred. We got the systems running soon."