Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Aug 7: United Airlines temporarily halted all its mainline flights across the United States on Wednesday evening due to a significant technical failure, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports and sparking widespread delays.

The disruption, which lasted several hours, prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue ground stops at key United hubs, including Chicago, Denver, Newark, Houston, and San Francisco, severely impacting airport operations during peak evening travel.

System Outage Triggers Nationwide Disruption

"We are working with customers to get them to their destinations after a technology disruption," a United Airlines spokesperson told CNN. “The underlying issue has been resolved, and while residual delays are expected, our team is focused on restoring normal operations.”

According to flight tracking platform FlightAware, around 31% of United's flights were delayed and approximately 1% were cancelled as of 9:45 p.m. local time.

Frustrated travelers quickly took to social media to report chaos and confusion, with photos and videos showing packed terminals, long queues, and passengers stuck on grounded planes.

FAA Issues Emergency Ground Stops

United Airlines requested the FAA to halt departures from multiple major airports shortly after 7:30 p.m., according to FAA system updates. The ground stop affected operations at several of the airline's biggest domestic hubs, bringing flights to a standstill.

The FAA confirmed it had acted on United’s request, and once the airline’s systems were stabilized, the restriction was lifted — though the ripple effect of delays is expected to continue into Thursday.

Another Blow to Aviation Tech Infrastructure

This latest incident adds to a string of technical failures plaguing the U.S. aviation industry. Just weeks ago, Alaska Airlines faced a similar IT disruption that forced temporary flight suspensions. Additionally, several air traffic control system failures have occurred at Newark-area airports this year, raising concerns about the fragility of aviation tech infrastructure.

Earlier this year, aviation safety was thrust into the spotlight following a tragic mid-air collision involving a passenger jet and military helicopter near Washington’s Reagan National Airport, resulting in the loss of dozens of lives.

As the industry continues to grapple with aging systems and increasing demand, Wednesday’s meltdown at United Airlines underscores the urgent need for robust, resilient, and modernized technology in US aviation.