United Airlines Flights Delayed After Major Tech Glitch

Photo : @united

On Wednesday night, United Airlines faced a big problem that stopped many of its flights. A technology issue caused the airline to delay or cancel several flights at big airports like Chicago, Denver, Newark, Houston, and San Francisco. The problem began around 6:12 p.m. Eastern Time and continued for a few hours.

By 9:45 p.m., about 31% of United's flights were delayed, and 1% were canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

What Happened?

The airline said there was a problem with its computer systems. This issue made it hard for planes to take off on time. United said the problem has now been fixed, but delays may still happen for some time as things get back to normal.

A spokesperson from United Airlines said, “We are working to help our customers get to their destinations. The problem is fixed, but there might still be some delays.”

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which watches over all flights in the country, said they were aware of the problem and are helping United Airlines get back on track. The FAA added that delays may still continue as the airline clears up the backlog.

Was This a Cyberattack?

No, United Airlines made it clear that this problem had nothing to do with recent cybersecurity threats. It was just a technical fault in their systems, and not an attack by hackers.

How Did Passengers React?

Many passengers were stuck in planes or airports for hours without clear updates. Angela Jeffers, who was flying from Nashville to Denver, said her flight was delayed by two hours. The pilot told passengers that they were “missing some numbers needed for takeoff.”

She said they got an update at 9:30 p.m. that some flights were starting to board again. But due to traffic and other delays, not all planes could leave. Angela was offered a free hotel stay and a flight for the next day by United Airlines.

Her sister, Jessica Jeffers, also faced the same problem. She was stuck on a plane in Denver for two hours without air conditioning. She texted CNN saying, “It’s been pretty rough. We are still waiting and don’t know what’s going on.”

Airports Affected

The airports that faced the most problems were:

• Chicago O'Hare International Airport

• Denver International Airport

• Newark Liberty International Airport

• Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport

• San Francisco International Airport

United Airlines had to stop flights from taking off at these airports for a short time. This is called a “ground stop.”

What Happens Next?

Now that the problem is fixed, United Airlines is trying to make sure all passengers reach their destinations. But because so many flights were delayed, it will take some time to get back to normal.

Travel experts say that this kind of issue shows how important good technology is in air travel. Even one small issue can affect thousands of people.

This incident was a big reminder of how much we rely on technology in modern air travel. United Airlines is working to recover, and passengers are hoping things go smoothly from now on.