United Airlines passengers faced frustration and inconvenience as the airline experienced significant delays due to a "technology issue" that halted flights across major United States airports. The incident led to a ground stop for the company’s mainline flights, impacting key hubs such as Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Francisco, and New Jersey.
The disruption was first reported on Wednesday evening around 22:00 EDT (02:00 GMT Thursday), and United confirmed that the issue had been resolved shortly thereafter, although they anticipated ongoing residual delays. In an official statement, the airline conveyed that its team was actively working to resume normal operations while acknowledging the extensive backlog.
By 21:00 EDT on the same day, over 700 United flights had been reported delayed, as per data from flight tracking site FlightAware. Airborne flights during the stoppage continued to their destinations without issues, but regional flights faced potential delays as traffic congestion increased due to the ground halt.
Passengers shared their grievances on social media, with many expressing frustration over long wait times. Jessica Jeffers, a traveler stuck for two hours on a plane in Denver en route to Newark, commented, "It's been pretty rough over here." Reports of passengers being stranded on tarmacs for extended periods surfaced, highlighting the widespread impact of the glitch.
In response to the incident, the airline classified it as a preventable delay, committing to cover certain expenses incurred by affected passengers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed he had been briefed by United on the situation, clarifying that the matter was "unrelated to the broader air traffic control system" in the country.
