Visa is suffering a service outage in Europe and customers are enraged

Visa Inc. said Friday it is experiencing a service disruption in Europe that is affecting payment providers across the continent. "We are investigating the cause and working as quickly as possible to resolve the situation," the company said in a tweet. Media reports captured some of the chaos the disruption was causing with tourists stranded unable to pay bills and shoppers frustrated at checkouts. In London, there were reports of long lines in train stations and shops and banks were issuing apologies to customers. Many took to Twitter to vent their frustration. The Guardian newspaper liveblogged the issue for its readers. Visa shares were up 0.6% and have gained 38% in the last 12 months, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has gained 17%.