Published Date: 2013-04-16
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident at American Airlines happened on April 16, 2013 [18162, 18570]. |
| System | 1. American Airlines reservations system [18162, 18570, 18000] 2. Sabre reservation tool [18162, 18570, 18000] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. American Airlines' computerized reservation system was responsible for causing the software failure incident [18162, 18570]. 2. Sabre, the technology company operating American Airlines' reservation systems, was also involved in the incident [18570]. 3. The integration of software systems during mergers, such as the planned merger of American Airlines with US Airways, was mentioned as a potential cause of software failures in the airline industry [18000]. |
| Impacted Organization | 1. American Airlines [18162, 18570, 18000] 2. American Eagle (American's regional partner) [18570] |
| Software Causes | 1. The software failure incident at American Airlines was caused by a glitch in the computerized reservation system, impacting both primary and backup systems [18570]. 2. The specific software issue was related to American Airlines being unable to connect with its online booking system, Sabre, which handles various functions from boarding passes to tracking checked baggage [18000]. 3. American Airlines mistakenly reported they were having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which was subsequently corrected [18000]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Bad weather causing airlines to halt flights in specific regions [18570] 2. Nationwide grounding due to a glitch in the computerized reservation system [18570] |
| Impacts | 1. The software failure incident at American Airlines led to a systemwide delay, grounding all flights for several hours, leaving passengers stranded and unable to modify reservations [18162, 18570]. 2. The glitch caused big delays and flight cancellations, impacting American Airlines and its regional partner, American Eagle, resulting in a nationwide grounding of flights [18570]. 3. Passengers faced delays and cancellations throughout the day even after the reservation systems were restored, affecting the travel plans of thousands of people [18570]. 4. The failure incident caused inconvenience to passengers, who had to deal with longer lines, crowded airports, and the need to rebook on other airlines [18570]. 5. The incident also raised concerns about the potential impact on future flights and the overall reliability of the airline's systems [18162]. |
| Preventions | 1. Implementing thorough system testing and quality assurance procedures to identify and address potential software glitches before they impact operations [18162, 18570]. 2. Conducting regular maintenance and updates on the reservation system to ensure its stability and reliability [18162, 18570]. 3. Establishing effective communication and coordination between the airline and its technology partners, such as Sabre, to promptly address any connectivity issues [18000]. 4. Developing contingency plans and backup systems to mitigate the impact of software failures and enable quick recovery [18162, 18570]. 5. Providing adequate training to employees on how to handle system failures and disruptions to minimize the impact on passengers [18570]. |
| Fixes | 1. Implementing more robust backup systems to ensure continuity in case of primary system failures [18162, 18570]. 2. Conducting thorough testing and quality assurance processes before deploying software updates or changes to prevent unexpected glitches [18000]. 3. Enhancing communication and coordination between airlines and their software providers to quickly address and resolve any technical issues that arise [18162, 18570]. 4. Investing in ongoing training for employees to effectively manage and troubleshoot software-related problems [18000]. 5. Collaborating with industry experts and analysts to stay informed about potential risks and best practices for maintaining reliable software systems [18000]. | References | 1. American Airlines tweets [18162] 2. American Airlines Facebook page [18162] 3. American CEO Tom Horton [18570] 4. Sabre (technology company) [18570, 18000] 5. CNN [18570] 6. Mike Boyd, airline analyst and chairman of the Boyd Group International [18000] 7. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) [18570] 8. Statement posted by American Airlines on its Facebook page [18000] |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) The software failure incident having happened again at American Airlines: - American Airlines experienced a major computer fail that brought down the company's reservations system, leaving passengers stranded for several hours [18162]. - This incident was not the first time American Airlines faced such a problem. Competitor United Airlines had several similar incidents in the past, including a two-hour outage in 2007 that grounded several hundred flights and another one in November of the previous year that delayed flights for up to two hours [18162]. - American Airlines grounded flights nationwide due to problems with its computerized reservation system, causing big delays and flight cancellations. The glitch affected both the primary and backup systems [18570]. - American Airlines had previously reported computer problems via Twitter and announced a ground stop due to the software issue [18570]. (b) The software failure incident having happened at multiple organizations: - The article mentions that software-fueled meltdowns have become more frequent in the airline industry, with incidents halting flights and causing disruptions for travelers [18000]. - Spirit Airlines experienced a software failure in early 2001 when they switched to a new booking system, resulting in canceled flights and delays across the East Coast and Midwest [18000]. - Delta Airlines also faced a similar issue in 2004 when a computer glitch forced the grounding of flights, extending from Atlanta, GA, to Salt Lake City, UT [18000]. - United Airlines had software-related failures after merging with Continental, resulting in technical issues at airports across the country [18000]. - U.S. Airways and America West experienced glitches in their software combination after merging [18000]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) The software failure incident at American Airlines was primarily related to the design phase. The incident was attributed to a software issue impacting both primary and backup systems, which suggests a problem introduced during system development or updates [18570]. Additionally, the airline initially pointed to its reservation tool, Sabre, as the source of the problem, but Sabre responded that its systems were functioning correctly, indicating a potential issue with the design or integration of American Airlines' systems [18162]. (b) The software failure incident at American Airlines also had elements related to the operation phase. The glitch in the reservation system caused big delays and flight cancellations, impacting the operation of the airline and leading to a nationwide grounding of flights [18570]. Additionally, the incident resulted in passengers being stranded and facing delays, which are operational consequences of the software failure [18162]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system | (a) within_system: The software failure incident at American Airlines was primarily within the system. The articles mention that the glitch was a "software issue impacting both primary and backup systems" [Article 18570]. American Airlines reported that they were unable to connect with their online booking system, Sabre, which handles various functions like boarding passes and baggage tracking [Article 18000]. Sabre, the software company responsible for American's booking system, clarified that American Airlines mistakenly reported they were having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which they subsequently corrected [Article 18000]. (b) outside_system: The articles do not provide specific information indicating that the software failure incident was due to contributing factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software failure incident at American Airlines was attributed to a "software issue impacting both primary and backup systems" as stated by American CEO Tom Horton [Article 18570]. - American Airlines reported that the glitch was due to a failure to connect with its online booking system, Sabre, which handles various functions like boarding passes and baggage tracking [Article 18000]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - American Airlines initially pointed to its reservation tool, Sabre, as the cause of the computer system failure [Article 18162]. - American Airlines mistakenly reported they were having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which they subsequently corrected, according to Sabre [Article 18000]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | hardware, software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The incident at American Airlines was attributed to a "software issue impacting both primary and backup systems" as mentioned by American CEO Tom Horton [Article 18570]. - American Airlines reported being unable to connect with its online booking system, Sabre, which handles various functions, indicating a potential hardware-related issue [Article 18000]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - American Airlines mistakenly reported having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which they subsequently corrected, indicating a software-related problem [Article 18000]. - The glitch that caused big delays and flight cancellations was described as a "software issue" impacting both primary and backup systems by American CEO Tom Horton [Article 18570]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | non-malicious | (a) malicious: The articles do not indicate that the software failure incident at American Airlines was malicious in nature. There is no mention of any intentional actions by individuals to harm the system ([18162], [18570], [18000]). (b) non-malicious: The software failure incident at American Airlines was non-malicious in nature. The incident was attributed to a software issue impacting both primary and backup systems, causing big delays and flight cancellations. American Airlines CEO mentioned it was a software issue, and Sabre, the technology company operating American's reservation systems, stated that its systems were functioning but American had trouble connecting. The failure was described as a glitch and a breakdown in data calculation ([18162], [18570], [18000]). |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | poor_decisions, accidental_decisions | (a) The software failure incident at American Airlines was primarily due to poor decisions. The incident was caused by a software issue impacting both primary and backup systems, as acknowledged by American CEO Tom Horton [Article 18570]. Additionally, American Airlines mistakenly reported they were having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which was subsequently corrected [Article 18000]. These instances point towards poor decisions or incorrect assessments made during the incident. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | accidental | (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided articles. Therefore, there is no specific information available to indicate that the failure was due to contributing factors introduced due to lack of professional competence by humans or the development organization. (b) The software failure incident was accidental, as it was described as a "software issue impacting both primary and backup systems" by American Airlines CEO Tom Horton [Article 18570]. Additionally, American Airlines mistakenly reported they were having an issue with the Sabre reservations system, which they subsequently corrected [Article 18000]. These statements suggest that the failure was accidental rather than due to development incompetence. |
| Duration | temporary | The software failure incident reported in the articles was temporary. The incident caused significant disruptions, including grounding flights, delays, and cancellations, but the system was eventually restored after several hours of downtime [18162, 18570, 18000]. The articles mention that American Airlines' reservation system was fully restored, but delays and cancellations were still expected throughout the day, indicating a temporary nature of the failure. |
| Behaviour | crash, omission, timing, value, other | (a) crash: The software failure incident at American Airlines resulted in a crash where the company's reservations system went down, grounding all flights for several hours [18162, 18570]. (b) omission: The glitch in the computerized reservation system caused big delays and flight cancellations, leading to the omission of performing the intended functions of managing reservations effectively [18570]. (c) timing: The systemwide delay and grounding of flights for several hours indicate a timing issue where the system was not performing its intended functions at the right time [18162]. (d) value: The software failure incident led to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, causing disruptions in flight operations and passenger travel plans [18000]. (e) byzantine: There is no indication of a byzantine behavior in the software failure incident reported in the articles. (f) other: The software failure incident also resulted in the system being unable to connect with its online booking system, Sabre, which handles various functions like boarding passes and tracking checked baggage, showcasing a different type of behavior in the failure incident [18000]. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, delay, non-human, theoretical_consequence | (a) death: There were no reports of people losing their lives due to the software failure incident reported in the articles. (b) harm: There were no reports of people being physically harmed due to the software failure incident reported in the articles. (c) basic: There were no reports of people's access to food or shelter being impacted because of the software failure incident reported in the articles. (d) property: The software failure incident led to flight delays and cancellations affecting thousands of passengers, potentially causing inconvenience and financial losses [18162, 18570]. (e) delay: The software failure incident resulted in significant flight delays and cancellations, impacting the travel plans of thousands of passengers [18162, 18570]. (f) non-human: The software failure incident affected the operations of American Airlines and its regional partner, American Eagle, leading to flight disruptions and grounding of flights [18162, 18570]. (g) no_consequence: The software failure incident had real observed consequences, such as flight delays and cancellations, affecting passengers [18162, 18570]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed, such as the impact on future flights and the uncertainty of the situation, but these were not explicitly stated as occurring in the articles [18162]. (i) other: There were no other consequences of the software failure incident described in the articles. |
| Domain | information, transportation | (a) The failed system was intended to support the information industry as it affected the production and distribution of information related to American Airlines' reservations system [18162, 18570, 18000]. (b) The transportation industry was impacted by the software failure incident as it disrupted the movement of people through flight delays and cancellations at American Airlines [18162, 18570, 18000]. (m) The software failure incident was not related to any other industry mentioned in the options. |
Article ID: 18162
Article ID: 18570
Article ID: 18000