Major Delays at Logan, Other Huge Airports Due to U.S. Customs Computer Problems

By DENNIS ROBAUGH (Patch National Staff)

The Department of Homeland Security computer system that allows U.S. Customs agents to check airline passengers against the terrorist watchlist database went down at U.S. airports Wednesday night, reports NBC News, citing “high-level government sources.”

Travelers at several of the nation’s busiest airports are experiencing long delays due to computer problems affecting the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency and passport-control kiosks.

CNBC reports that DHS officials say the computer problem was resolved as of 9:16 p.m. Eastern time. Meanwhile, thousands of people have stacked up in lines at the airports.

Airports in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas and Los Angeles are affected. Airline passengers, via Twitter, are saying they’ve been told the problem will take several hours to fix and many are in danger of missing their flights.

The airports affected directly are New York’s JFK, Boston Logan, Los Angeles International, San Francisco International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The resulting delays and missed flights will cause a ripple effect across the nation’s airports.

— photo by James R. Tourtellotte, Wikimedia Commons