OK, so I don't quite understand...
This morning, the beginning of a major holiday travel weekend, some FAA employee decided to "update new maps" into the traffic control computer system.

The update failed and caused communication problems. Flights from LAX and San Diego were delayed, and those in route there were supposedly "grounded."

Why wasn't this done earlier to be sure any problems occurred on a less busy day? Or did the layout of the airports suddenly change on Friday morning?

Maybe the FAA should have to pay compensation to travelers for delays caused by their mishaps. We hold airlines accountable, why not the government?

Ok, that sounds like a bad plan. I better check on my departure time from LAX today.

Any compensation from the government would just come from our taxes, not corporate shareholders.

Must be a real snarl, given the shutdown of DFW for a while yesterday (weather), leading to all kinds of diversions and people still waiting, a day later having been re-routed, to get to where they are going.

Where did you learn about the "update" snafu? Posted on line anywhere?

It was a Yahoo news column today.

It just annoyed me. Every time I've been on a major vacation in the last 5 years, there has been a major flight delay that has given me a serious headache.

4 of those 5 were "air traffic control" problems. My flight was delayed 3 times from LA to JFK and I either missed or almost missed overseas connecting flights. One flight DC to LAX was delayed 4 hours and we missed the last flight home to SBP.

I think it's ridiculous.

Flying is now so much fun, lol.
M

No delay for me.

Apparently a software update was being installed and some online maps disappeared from radar displays. A typical case of a bad software update causing a crash (or near crash).

Perhaps the time chosen for the update was not propitious, but since ATC operates 24 hours a day with no interruptions, there is probably never really a good time to update software.

Believe it or not most major updates are done on holiday weekends as it is a quieter time and affects less people - imagine doing it on a Monday which would mean all those business flights would be affected

Better plan would have been on a Saturday night or Sunday morning of a holiday weekend.

Could be they need 2-3 consecutive days to do it fully, so on day 1 they did part of it, day 2 another part, finishing on day 3

my flights this weekend were both on time, LAX-SFO, friday and today, god bless.