United warns of delays after ground stop for ‘technology issue’

United Airlines passengers experienced potential delays Wednesday evening due to a nationwide ground stop prompted by an IT issue.

The request for the ground stop was made around 6:15 p.m. EST and lasted approximately two hours. United announced just after 10 p.m. EST that the problem had been fixed.

The airline classified the situation as a controllable delay, meaning it would cover certain associated expenses for travelers. The “technology issue” affected a system responsible for tracking flight times and other operational data.

“We are assisting customers in reaching their destinations following a technology disruption on Wednesday evening. The core issue has been resolved, and although we anticipate some lingering delays, our team is focused on restoring normal operations,” the airline stated.

By 10:30 p.m. EST, flight tracking service FlightAware indicated that around a third of United’s mainline flights were delayed, a figure that included flights prior to the implementation of the ground stop. The number of delays and cancellations increased following the incident.

Further delays could arise as United aims to get crews and aircraft back on schedule, although the conclusion of the ground stop indicates the worst may be past.

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A “ground stop” temporarily holds flights on the ground to prevent congestion at an airport due to issues like poor weather or operational challenges. In this case, United Airlines initiated the ground stop due to an operational dilemma.

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