United Airlines Lifts Ground Stop After Technology Glitch
United Airlines has lifted a nationwide ground stop caused by a weight and balance computer issue, but delays continue across its network.
United Airlines tech issues resolved after more than 1,000 flights delayed
New York Daily News
United Airlines flights grounded due to technology issue
New York Daily News
Overview
- United Airlines initiated a nationwide ground stop due to a critical weight and balance computer issue affecting mainline flights.
- The outage led to significant delays at major US airports, including Chicago, Newark, and Houston.
- Flights already airborne were allowed to continue, while United Express regional flights remained unaffected.
- The airline has apologized for the disruption, prioritizing safety and working to resolve the technical issue.
- Although the ground stop has been lifted, residual delays and operational challenges persist across the network.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of the United Airlines technology issue. They consistently use objective language, present official statements from the airline and government agencies, and detail the event's impact and resolution without employing loaded terms or assigning blame, ensuring a balanced and informative account.
"While residual delays were expected, United said its team was working to restore normal operations."
Associated Press"The impacted system, called Unimatic, houses flight information that is fed to other systems including those that calculate weight and balance and track flight times, according to United."
ABC News"United Airlines flights on major routes were grounded Wednesday because of a technology issue, and additional flight delays were expected into the evening, the airline said."
Associated Press"A system outage was causing flight disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport and other airports, with some travelers delayed for hours, the Newark Airport said in a post on X."
USA TODAY"A ground stop was issued for the company's mainline flights from departure airports, causing issues at airports including Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Francisco and New Jersey, the US Federal Aviation Administration's website shows."
BBC News"The ground stop impacted major hubs like Chicago O'Hare International Airport for several hours."
CBS News"United Airlines has grounded flights nationwide on Wednesday night due to an issue with its weight and balance computer system, according to the airline."
ABC News"Hundreds of United Airlines flights were disrupted on Wednesday evening as the carrier grappled with a major computer system outage."
NPR"A “technology issue” has caused a ground stop Wednesday for all United Airlines flights heading to Chicago and other major airports across the U.S."
Chicago Sun-Times"The outage had prompted ground stops across the country, including at major airport hubs in Newark, Chicago, San Francisco and Houston."
NBC News"United Airlines was working to resume flights nationwide Wednesday evening after the the Chicago-based carrier issued a ground stop due to an unspecified technology issue."
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FAQ
A weight and balance computer system in aviation calculates the aircraft's weight distribution to ensure it is within safe limits, maintaining proper center of gravity for safe flight operations. Errors in this system can compromise aircraft performance and safety.
The issue caused United Airlines to initiate a nationwide ground stop for mainline flights, resulting in significant delays and cancellations at major airports such as Chicago, Newark, and Houston. Flights already airborne were allowed to continue, and United Express regional flights were unaffected.
United Airlines apologized for the disruption, prioritized safety, worked to resolve the technical issue within a few hours, and provided meals and hotel accommodations to affected passengers.
No, United Airlines confirmed the outage was not the result of a cyberattack, and US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated the problem was isolated to United's systems with no connection to broader air traffic control infrastructure.
Yes, although the ground stop was lifted, residual delays and operational challenges continue across United Airlines' network as they work through the backlog caused by the outage.
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