United Airlines Faces Delays Following Nationwide Ground Stop
United Airlines passengers encountered significant delays on Wednesday evening after the airline implemented a nationwide ground stop due to an IT issue. The ground stop was initiated around 6:15 p.m. EST and lasted approximately two hours. By 10 p.m. EST, United announced that the problem had been resolved.
The airline categorized the incident as a controllable delay, which means they would cover certain expenses related to the delays for affected travelers. The IT glitch impacted a system responsible for managing flight times, weight, and balance, which is critical for the airline’s operational efficiency.
In a statement, United Airlines said, “We are working with customers to get them to their destinations after a technology disruption on Wednesday evening. The underlying technology issue has been resolved, and while we expect residual delays, our team is working to restore our normal operations.”
As of 10:30 p.m. EST, flight-tracking service FlightAware reported that about one-third of United’s mainline flights were delayed, a statistic that included flights affected before the ground stop was enacted. Following the ground stop, the number of delays and cancellations for United began to rise, although the lifting of the ground stop indicated that the worst of the situation had likely passed.
A “ground stop” is a procedure where flights are held on the ground to prevent a backlog of arrivals at airports experiencing operational challenges, such as adverse weather conditions or technical issues. In this case, United Airlines opted for a ground stop due to an operational disruption.
Passengers affected by the delays are encouraged to stay informed about their flight status and check for updates directly from United Airlines. The airline is actively working to minimize the impact on travelers and restore normal flight schedules as quickly as possible.
