FAA: Computer issue that delayed Florida flights has been resolved

Florida flights delayed due to FAA computer system issue

Some flights arriving and departing from Florida airports were delayed Monday afternoon after the FAA reduced traffic to fix an air traffic computer issue. That issue has since been resolved, the FAA said

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Federal Aviation Administration said a computer issue with one of its air traffic systems – which prompted flight delays at several Florida airports – has been resolved, and that it was working to resume its normal flight schedules.

Orlando International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Miami International Airport all saw flight delays, according to Flight Aware, an online website that tracks flight delays and cancelations.

"The computer issue has been resolved. The FAA is working toward safely returning to a normal traffic rate in the Florida airspace," the FAA said in an updated statement on Monday afternoon.

The FAA said Monday was already expected to be a busy travel day with some 42,000 flights scheduled – and a week after thousands of flights were delayed or canceled across the country due to the winter storm over Christmas weekend and internal system issues at Southwest Airlines.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., people began posting on social media that their Florida-bound flights were delayed and/or grounded, and wondered what was going on.

"The FAA has slowed the volume of traffic into Florida airspace due to an air traffic computer issue that is being resolved," the agency said in a previous statement to FOX 35.

A spokesperson for the FAA said the issue had to deal with the "En Route Automation Modernization" system, also known as ERAM, which launched in March 2015, and helps air traffic controllers manage the number of flights in the sky and avoid potential issues. Specifically what happened with that system is unclear.

How to check if your flight is on time, delayed, or canceled

To check your current flight status, most websites will have updated information in their apps or on their website where you can search by a specific flight or route. Below are a few of the major airlines. Click on their name to be taken to their flight status web page.

Flight delays varied by airport, airline, and destination, but ranged between 15 minutes and 90 minutes. OIA said it did not eexperience "major impacts," but encouraged people to check their flight status with the airline.

Over Christmas, Southwest Airlines experienced a breakdown in its internal systems and scheduling after weekend winter storms closed some airports and delayed or canceled flights across the country. Southwest drastically reduced its flight schedule for a few days to rearrange its crews and planes, and has since resumed normal operations, the airline previously said.

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People reported spending hours in line waiting for rebooked flights, buying hotels, or renting cars to get to their destination. Southwest said it would consider reasonable reimbursement requests for airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and meals.