WASHINGTON — People looking to fly on United Airlines on Wednesday should expect long delays and prepare for cancellations, similar to the situation when a major snowstorm hits the East Coast.

That’s the word from CBS News correspondent Chris Van Cleave, who told WTOP Wednesday morning that the “user request automation issues” (the Federal Aviation Administration’s term) with the airline’s reservation system are leaving flights paralyzed.

“If you can’t check in your passengers, and you can’t check in your crew, you don’t know who’s on your plane — you really can’t operate that way,” Van Cleave says. “They’re basically computer-less.”

Regional carriers such as United Express related to United are releasing their planes, which is “a hopeful sign,” he says. But still, “there’s not a clear timeline yet as to when they’ll have it back online.”

And as with a major snowstorm, Van Cleave says, “Certainly check the status of your flight before you leave for the airport, and expect some delays.”