United Airlines experienced significant flight delays due to a temporary ground stop caused by technical problems. The airline has since resolved the issue but anticipates ongoing disruption as operations normalize.
United Airlines Flights Face Disruptions Due to Technical Glitch
United Airlines Flights Face Disruptions Due to Technical Glitch
A technology issue led to widespread delays for United Airlines passengers across major US airports, affecting hundreds of flights.
Passengers of United Airlines in the United States faced significant delays this week after a major technology glitch led to a temporary halt of flights across several major airports. The Air carrier issued a ground stop for its mainline flights originating from key departure points, which included locations such as Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Francisco, and New Jersey.
At around 10:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, the airline announced that flights were no longer grounded, although disruptions were expected to continue as operations were gradually restored. "The technology issue has been resolved, and we anticipate residual delays," the company stated, assuring passengers that their teams were diligently working towards restoring normal flight schedules.
Flight tracking services reported that over 700 United flights had been delayed by 9:00 PM EDT. Flights en route at the time of the ground stop continued to their intended destinations without interruption. While regional flights were not affected directly, the airline indicated that they might encounter delays due to increased traffic from the ongoing ground stops.
Amid the chaos, passenger experiences varied; one traveler, Jessica Jeffers, recounted her ordeal of being stuck on a plane in Denver for two hours, waiting to reach Newark, New Jersey. Others expressed frustration on social media, sharing tales of prolonged stints on the tarmac with no updates.
The BBC's partner CBS News reported that the airline deemed this incident a preventable delay, leading to assurances that affected passengers would receive compensation for additional costs incurred during the disruption. The situation was closely monitored, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stating he had been kept informed by United Airlines and clarified that the technical difficulties were "unrelated to the broader air traffic control system" in the United States.
