United Airlines issued a nationwide ground stop on Tuesday, stopping all flights on the ground from taking off due to an “equipment outage,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
It is unclear when the ground stop will end.
“We are experiencing a systemwide technology issue and are holding all aircraft at their departure airports. Flights that are already airborne are continuing to their destination as planned. We will share more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience as we work on a resolution to get you on your way as soon as possible,” the airline tweeted.
“We have identified a fix for the technology issue and flights have resumed. We’re working with impacted customers to help them reach their destinations as soon as possible” United added in a second tweet.
This isn’t the first time this year that an airline experienced a flight-stopping emergency. In June, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faced criticism as thousands of U.S. flights were canceled or delayed.
At the time, Fox Business reported over 1,500 cancellations and delays. Tracker Flight Aware documented 1,153 total cancellations, with United Airlines impacted the most.
In January, thousands of flights were delayed after a technology glitch led the FAA to halt departures nationwide.
FlightAware.com showed that more than 4,000 U.S. flights were delayed at 8:30 a.m., with the backup potentially causing hours of residual delays, CNBC reported. The FAA said all flights then in the sky were safe to land.
The FAA tweeted that there was an “overnight outage” in its Notice to Air Missions System, which it said “alerts pilots about closed runways, equipment outages, and other potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the flight.”
