Some Southwest flights into and out of Lindbergh Field were delayed or canceled Friday morning as the airline continued to recover from a massive computer glitch that temporarily halted all its flights.
Photos taken at the San Diego International Airport by NBC7 show rows of cots set up in the airport's food court for air travelers enduring extensive delays and a handful of people apparently settling in for the night.
#Southwest sleepover Cots in the food court #Lindbergh field Computer glitch stalls flights nationwide #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/O1zxy3tlEz
— Dave Summers (@DaveSummersNBC7) July 22, 2016
Southwest "began experiencing intermittent performance issues" Wednesday afternoon, which prompted a temporary halt to all flights that had not yet left the gate, according to the airline. The ground stop was later lifted, but delays continued.
As of late Thursday afternoon, Southwest had canceled nearly 450 flights nationwide, including some at Lindbergh Field. Airline officials said it was due primarily to displaced crews and aircraft.
"Simply put, if the crews aren't in place, the planes can't fly," Southwest spokeswoman Linda Rutherford said.
A total of 21 arrivals were postponed on Thursday, along with the same number of departures. Airport officials thanked travelers for their patience and urged them to check the status of their flights before heading to Lindbergh Field.
"We understand the enormous inconvenience our technology challenges have put on our customers, and the colossal burden it places on our employees," Rutherford said. "Our employees in airports, online, and on the phone are assisting customers in large numbers and that is taking longer than average."
Southwest officials urged customers who were not able to complete their trips to rebook flights within two weeks, and those who missed their flights to contact the airline via its website or on social media.
