Delta software outage delays boarding for two dozen flights

Delta Air Lines delayed boarding for about two dozen flights Tuesday as a result of a brief outage in its software that powers ground operations, a spokesman said. The airline does not expect further delays due to the issue, and no flights already in the air were affected, a spokesman said. He would not immediately comment as to whether a cyber-attack caused the outage. The technical issue follows several high-profile computer problems experienced by US airlines in 2015, including a router error at United Continental and a malfunctioning iPad application used by pilots at American Airlines that caused delays. Industry consultants say computer disruptions will have a growing impact on airlines as they automate more operations, outfit their planes with Wi-Fi and distribute boarding passes on smartphones. <br/>