American Airlines ground stop lifted after IT issue hits flights
American Airlines said a technology issue briefly halted U.S. departures before systems came back online and flights resumed within an hour.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
American Airlines briefly halted U.S. departures after a technology problem disrupted connectivity for some of its systems, setting off an American Airlines ground stop that the carrier said was lifted in under an hour.
The stop was issued at about 6:30 p.m. ET, according to CNN, and appeared to cover American Airlines flights in the United States that had not yet taken off. The disruption hit one of the country’s biggest aviation players: OAG ranks American Airlines as the largest U.S. airline by capacity, and PlaneSpotters lists its fleet at more than 1,000 aircraft.
American Airlines said shortly after 7:20 p.m. ET on its official X account that “a technology issue” had affected connectivity for some systems on Tuesday evening. The carrier said systems were coming back online and flights were departing again.
The airline said it had put the temporary ground stop in place while its teams worked on the problem, and apologized to customers for the inconvenience.
Why was American Airlines grounded?
American Airlines attributed the stoppage to a technology issue that briefly affected some internal system connectivity. The company did not disclose the exact technical failure behind the interruption.
The carrier’s public statement did not report a safety problem with aircraft already in the air. The disruption centered on departures, with the airline saying flights were leaving again once systems began returning online.
A ground stop is one of the tools used to control air traffic by holding aircraft on the ground before departure. The National Business Aviation Association says ground stops can be used for issues including severe weather, major equipment outages or to prevent airport gridlock.
The Federal Aviation Administration describes ground stops as among the most restrictive traffic management measures. FAA guidance says other options should be considered before a ground stop is used.
Ground stops are not unusual at individual airports, especially when weather turns nasty. The FAA’s national airspace status page showed multiple U.S. airport ground stops related to thunderstorms around the same period.
A nationwide halt tied to one airline is a more disruptive move because it can ripple through schedules quickly. American Airlines did not provide a count of affected flights, and it did not say how many passengers were delayed.
The key point for travelers: American Airlines said the interruption was brief, systems were coming back online, and departures had resumed. Passengers still facing delays would need to check their flight status directly with the airline or airport, as the carrier did not release a route-by-route breakdown.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.