When a portion of United Airlines’ computer network crashed today, gate agents were left to improvise. Most just waited out the 2hr, 20min outage, but some got creative–check out this boarding pass from #moiraforbes:
It’s like 1955 all over again.
When I say United’s computer network, I do of course mean SHARES–the relic from Continental that replaced United’s Apollo reservation system post-merger.
United said its massive passenger-reservations system called Shares, which also runs the passenger processing at its airports, completely shut down for two hours. The United spokeswoman said the company doesn’t know the cause of the outage and is doing “a complete review of what happened.”
That is so comforting.
I actually just feel bad for United today. I’ve blogged the last two days about problems with how SHARES processes ugprades and now we have this. People say familiarity breads contempt but my reacation is quite different than it would have been in the weeks following the 03 March 2012 merger. I now understand SHARES much better and know how to coax it, to an extent, to get what I want. United may does need a new and updated Passenger Service System, but I do not look forward to having to learn another system, especially if it is less flexible than SHARES is. Today’s news, however, suggests that such a new system is needed sooner rather than later.
@Matthew: I really like you, man, and enjoy your posts, which is why I’m disappointed that you’ve become a United apologist. It clouds your judgement and makes you spin even their worst shortcomings into something positive, which it isn’t at all. I’m a Premier 1K who has given up on them after many incidents — for now. I reserve the right to come back once they get their $h!t together, but for now I’m banking on my AA EXP which I’ve held for many years also, in parallel.
Here’s hoping to flying next to you on UA again one day, but for now, here’s hoping that you stay objective! 😉
@A.S. I know you are still disappointed at the way I handled the 4 mile HKG fare mistake, but I wouldn’t call myself a United apologist.
I could write a post ripping the lazy ex-Cons who flew me from PHL-DEN-LAX last week, but what would be the point? A post about no smile, no addressing by name, nuts not warmed up, disappeared for the rest of the four hour flight after meal service–sure, I just sound like an ungrateful and entitled traveler complaining about a free upgrade.
I think UA’s biggest problem is CO and all the baggage that comes with it–including SHARES–but the point of the post above was that I am finally learning how to use the system to my advantage and I shudder to think of a system like Delta’s that is even worse. United does have the best award program out there–generous routing rules, one-way awards, and no fuel surcharges on any carrier. This is something to be celebrated.
And flying UA so long out of small stations like PHL and BUR, I know the people and they know me–that helps and starting all over again with AA just doesn’t make sense.
But if I return to the airline industry full time, I will lose out on all of this and just keep my MM status on UA (to be earned next year) and fly standby.
@Matthew: Thanks for replying, but I think you might have me confused with another poster. I didn’t partake in the 4 miles mistake bonanza and don’t recall making any posts about it. 🙂 I know that there’s another poster that goes by “AS” (sans punctuation) — maybe you’re talking about him?
Indeed I am. Sorry for the confusion!