http://calgary.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=ca_aircanada20030819 Web Posted   Aug 19 2003 01:36 PM MDT Air Canada hit by computer slowdown Calgary - A pair of computer viruses is being blamed for major disruptions in airports across North America Tuesday, including Calgary International. Edmonton International was mostly unaffected. Air Canada's self check-in kiosks were hit mid-morning, while its other computers were slowed by the viruses leading to delays for its passengers. In Calgary, passengers choked the concourse Tuesday morning, while baggage was hand-checked and working computers were shared. Brad Powers, who waited for more than an hour to get checked in for his flight to Japan, said it was bad timing for Air Canada, which has been battling slower service because of layoffs and a virtual shut down of its North American flights last week when the power blackout hit Toronto. Most flights Tuesday were delayed by 25 minutes. The viruses, offshoots of last weeks Blaster Worm virus, hit hundreds of thousands of computers in Canada in the early morning, including many of those at local hotels, hospitals and airports. The so- called Blaster and White Hat viruses first hit unsuspecting computer users Monday, and has since been spreading at a rapid pace, computer experts say. "As of yesterday, it's affected about 600,000 computers in North America that we know of," Phil Bradley, of Computer Support Experts in Mississauga, said.