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Baggage-Handling Glitch Stalls Flights At JFK Airport

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July 31, 2008

It was quite a scene at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport Wednesday after a software breakdown in the baggage handling system. American Airlines cancelled nearly 50 flights because of the problem. And more flights are likely to be affected Thursday.

Copyright © 2008 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

DEBORAH AMOS, host:

NPR's business news starts with an airline's baggage breakdown.

It was quite a scene at New York's John F. Kennedy airport yesterday after a software breakdown in the baggage handling system. American Airlines canceled nearly 50 flights because of the problem. And more flights are affected today. Baggage piled up at ticket counters. Extra ground staff were brought in to sort it through by hand, and thousands of customers had to board planes leaving their luggage behind, counting on the airline to deliver it later.

The glitch was especially infuriating to many passengers because they now pay fees to check in their luggage. But American waived most of the fees for passengers caught in yesterday's chaos.

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