United Airlines mainline flights were temporarily grounded nationwide on Wednesday due to a technical issue, causing widespread disruptions and significant delays. The airline confirmed that the issue, which has since been resolved, was not related to a cybersecurity attack.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and multiple reports, the ground stop affected United flights at major hubs including Newark, San Francisco, Denver, Houston, and Chicago. An airline spokesperson stated that the “technology issue” forced the company to hold flights at their departure airports. While the underlying problem was rectified within hours, the airline warned of “residual delays” as it worked to restore normal operations.
The disruption led to more than 1,000 delayed flights and over 40 cancellations, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware. A source familiar with the situation indicated to Reuters that the outage was tied to the airline’s weight calculation system, a critical component for flight safety and operations. Passengers reported being stuck on tarmacs for hours, and the airline apologized to affected customers on social media. United has stated it will cover expenses like hotels and meals for those impacted by the delays. The event is the latest in a series of technology-related disruptions to impact the airline industry, following a similar incident that grounded Alaska Airlines flights just weeks prior.
