Travelers should expect major delays as airport systems for checking passports in the US crash

AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

• US Customs systems for processing arriving travelers’ passports were reportedly down on Friday afternoon, leading to massive delays at airport arrivals halls throughout the country.
• JFK Airport’s official Twitter account said that Customs agents were using backup systems to process passengers manually.
• This is a developing story. Refresh this page for the latest.
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The systems that the US Customs and Border Patrol uses to check incoming travelers’ passports suffered a major outage on Friday, forcing officials to rely on slower backup systems.

Travelers at airports around the country, including New York’s JFK and Washington-Dulles, reported widespread delays in international arrivals halls.

"At Dulles, just announced that the US Customs system is down nationwide," one traveler at Washington Dulles tweeted.

 

"Wow @JFKairport customs systems are down," another traveler, Ninis Samuel tweeted. "Glad I have Global Entry but don’t think it’s gonna help."

"Just to let you know Customs is experiencing a system shutdown nationwide," JFK Airport’s official account tweeted. "They are processing passengers manually until the system comes back online. Thanks for your patience."

The official Twitter account for Los Angeles International Airport similarly wanted passengers of delays.

CBP has gained attention over recent months as employees have been reassigned from customs duties at airports to working on the southern border, causing some reports of short staffing for normal airport CBP operations.

CBP did not immediately return a request for comment.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for the latest.

NOW WATCH: Inside Roborace: the Formula One for self-driving cars

See Also:

• Autonomous trucks are now moving UPS loads — and it shows that driverless trucks may be just a few years away from disrupting the $800 billion trucking industry
• Cruise is now focused on marketing — here’s why that’s a good sign for the robo-taxi service
• The US Postal Service’s volumes tanked for the first time in nearly a decade — here’s why insiders say FedEx and Amazon are to blame

SEE ALSO: A private jet carrying Dale Earnhardt Jr. burst into flames. He and his family were able to evacuate.

Source: Business Insider – dslotnick@businessinsider.com (David Slotnick)