AS IT IS 2016-08-12 What Is Causing Airline Computers to Shut Down?

AS IT IS 2016-08-12 What Is Causing Airline Computers to Shut Down?

The power outage at Delta¹ Airlines this week took down computers and stranded² thousands of travelers from New York to Tokyo. It was just the latest in a series of computer-related issues that have disrupted other U.S. airlines.

Delta said it canceled about 900 flights Monday out of a total of 6,000 worldwide. Nearly 800 were canceled Tuesday and hundreds more were delayed. By Wednesday most flights had resumed, although Delta said it expected about 100 more cancellations.

Delta is investigating the outage, which hit the airline’s computer systems early Monday in Atlanta, Georgia. The company said after power was lost, “some critical systems and network equipment” didn’t switch to backup as they were supposed to.

In a video message posted online, Delta CEO Ed Bastian apologized to passengers for the shutdown. "I’m sorry that it happened and I don’t have the final analysis (on) what caused the outage."

Bastian noted³ that over the last three years, Delta had spent "hundreds of millions of dollars" on technology upgrades. He said the upgrades included backup system improvements intended to prevent what happened this week.

Three weeks ago, Southwest Airlines experienced a similar outage and the company canceled 2,300 flights over four days. The airline said in that incident, a computer network router failed at its Dallas data center and backup systems did not switch on.

JetBlue computers went out several times this year due to power and other issues. The outages caused widespread flight delays and forced employees to check in passengers without computers.

The operations center that lost power monitors all of Delta’s worldwide flights. It also keeps track of individual planes, crew and passengers, and operates sales and ticketing.

Dr. Ahmed Abdelghany is an Associate Professor of Operations Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical⁴ University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

He said computer outages are significant because they affect all airline operations and require a complete “reset” of the system.

"As an airline, you are required to rebuild as if you are rebuilding your schedule of the flights, the crew and the ground personnel. And you have to do that in no time."

Abdelghany, who worked for several years as a senior technology analyst⁵ at United Airlines, said the fact that Delta’s backup systems failed is a big concern.

"Of course it is a big problem if your backup system also didn’t work. This is like an unforgivable mistake. You cannot afford that you say I have a backup system and then when you need it, it doesn’t work."

Martin Libicki is a professor at the U.S. Naval⁶ Academy and an adjunct professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He specializes in information technology and security issues. He said one of the main reasons backup systems fail is because they are not regularly tested.

"And the reason they don’t work is because people think, well they're backups, they’ll be there when I need it. And they don’t test it, and when they’ need it, it doesn’t come on. If you are going to have a reliable backup system, you have to go to it all the time, just to make sure that it runs all the time."

Libicki said one possible cause of backup failures in both the Delta and Southwest outages could have been a malware infection. This is what investigators⁷ determined⁸ caused a huge power outage in the Northeastern United States in 2003. The malware infection in that case affected⁹ a power company’s outage warning system.

"That creates a possibility that there is a piece of malware out there - which somehow interferes¹⁰ with the transition from backup to main system - that prevented in both cases backup from coming to the rescue when the main system went down."

Professor Abdelghany said Delta did a good job informing its customers about the outage and trying to accommodate their needs. But he thinks all the airlines should do more to explain what steps they are taking to avoid future outages.

"We need to hear more about what they are doing to prevent those incidents from happening in the first place."

Words in This Story

disrupt – v. to interrupt by causing a disturbance¹¹

switch – v.

router – n. a device that forwards data to the proper parts of a computer network

monitor – v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time?

significant – adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect?

schedule – n. a list of the times when buses, trains, airplanes, etc., leave or arrive?

personnel – n. the people who work for a particular company or organization?

analyst – n. a person who studies? something; an expert

afford – v. to be able to do (something) without having problems or being seriously harmed?

adjunct – adj. added to a teaching staff for only a short time or in a lower position than other staff?

regularly – adv. at the same time every day, week, month, etc. : on a regular basis?

reliable – adj. able to be trusted to do or provide what is needed : able to be relied on?

malware – n. software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems

determine – v. to officially decide (something) especially because of evidence or facts : to establish (something) exactly or with authority?

transition – n. a change from one state or condition to another?

accommodate – n. to provide what is needed or wanted for (someone or something)

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 aeronautical   

adj.航空（学）的

参考例句：

• Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world. 这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。 来自辞典例句
• The advent of aircraft brought with it aeronautical engineering. 宇宙飞船的问世导致了航天工程的出现。 来自辞典例句

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

7 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

11 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。