SkyWest Airlines crippled by computer woes, forced to cancel 700 flights
Massive internal computer issues reportedly forced regional carrier SkyWest Airlines to ground nearly 700 flights and delay hundreds of others Thursday as the airline scrambled to fix the problem.
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SkyWest attributed the schedule meltdown to a "server issue," according to Reuters, and said it took about five hours to resolve and allow flights to resume. But the cascading impact of the flight cancellations continued into Friday as SkyWest worked to get its crews and planes back in position.
The airline had canceled about 330 flights — about 15% of its daily schedule — as of 10:30 a.m. ET Friday while another 100 were running behind schedule, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
A spokesperson for SkyWest said the carrier was working "to return to normal operations as quickly as possible."
Related: What to do if your flight is delayed or canceled
SkyWest is the largest regional airline in the U.S. Headquartered in Utah, it's a partner airline providing service under the regional brands of four of the nation's five largest "mainline" carriers: American, Delta, Alaska and United. A look at SkyWest's route map gives you an idea of how wide a reach the airline has and how its outage affected U.S. air travel across the networks of several major airlines.
SkyWest, which has a base at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), told local TV station KARE11 that an "internal technical issue" was to blame.
The SkyWest chaos rippled across major airline hubs on Thursday, affecting passengers at airports large and small. Among them were Minneapolis-St. Paul — where SkyWest flies Delta Connection flights from Delta's hub — and Denver, a hub for United.
The disruptions also hit smaller markets, where regional carriers like SkyWest provide much of the scheduled service. In Fresno, California, for example, The Fresno Bee reported that SkyWest canceled seven of the 17 flights it operates at that airport.
Communications — or a perceived lack of them — compounded the problem for many travelers hit with SkyWest's delays and cancellations. Typically, major airlines communicate information for operations run by their regional affiliates. But the widespread cascading issues appeared to leave SkyWest's major partners scrambling to update passengers on the problem.
"I understand bad things happen - weather, mechanics and so forth. But they should be able to give you some information to give you comfort and security," passenger Philip Hogan told ABC 30 of Fresno after he was stranded there following a SkyWest cancellation.
On the flip side, some travelers took to Twitter to applaud Alaska Airlines for trying to get the message out to its customers.
Still, passengers flying SkyWest on Friday should keep tabs on the status of their flights as the carrier works to get its operation back to normal.
For those who do encounter issues with delayed or canceled flights, there are some tips that can help solve the problem.
TPG has a full guide to troubleshooting irregular operations, and keep in mind that some credit cards come with trip cancellation and interruption insurance that can help offset unexpected expenses that stem from a delay or cancellation.
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- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.