Customs glitch: air passengers stranded for hours

WEARY international passengers were stuck at Los Angeles International Airport for several hours, unable to set foot in the US after a computer failure prevented customs officials from screening arrivals.

More than 20,000 international passengers, both Americans and foreigners, sat in four airport terminals and in 60 planes starting at about 2pm on Saturday (10pm Irish time) when the computer system broke down, said Los Angeles world airports spokesman Paul Haney.

A major switch in the system, which contains names of arriving passengers and law enforcement data about them, including arrest warrants, had failed and had to be replaced, said Mike Fleming, a US customs spokesman.

“That system allows our officers to make decisions on who we can allow to enter the United States,” said Mr Fleming. “You just don’t know by looking at them.”

The computers were fully restored at 11.45pm, and the last of backlogged passengers were processed yesterday, said Mr Fleming.

“This is probably one of the worst days we’ve had. I’ve been with the agency for 30 years and I’ve never seen the system go down and stay down for as long as it did,” said Peter Gordon, acting port director for US customs.

Three people were transported to local hospitals after they fell ill while waiting in the terminals, according to the Los Angeles city fire department. Airport officials said the stranded planes were connected to ground power, and passengers had access to food, water and toilets.