American Airlines Grounds All Flights in the U.S. Due to Technical Issue

Disruption Affects Thousands of Passengers Set to Fly Out for Christmas Eve

American Airlines has grounded all its flights in the U.S. due to an unspecified technical issue, according to the company and a regulatory notice. The move has disrupted the travel plans of thousands of passengers set to fly out for Christmas Eve.

Passengers Stranded at Airports

Numerous passengers were posting on social media that their flights had been stuck on the runway at various airports and were now being sent back to the gate. The company has not said why it was stopping all flights, leaving passengers in limbo.

Company Responds to Stranded Flyers

In a post on X, the company responded to a question from a stranded flyer, stating, “An estimated timeframe has not been provided, but they’re trying to fix it in the shortest possible time.” Shares of the carrier were down 3.8% before the bell.

Regulatory Notice

A notice on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration website merely said the company had requested a nationwide groundstop, without giving a reason. As of 7:30 a.m. ET, American had not made a formal statement on social media, and was only responding to comments on X as numerous users posted there, as well as on Bluesky and Facebook.

Passengers’ Frustration

One user wrote, “Hey, @AmericanAir just tell us whether we should go home or not. Please don’t make us wait in the airport for hours.” American operates thousands of flights per day to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries.

Previous Tech Issues

The grounding comes months after airlines were hit by a global tech outage tied to Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and a software issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Two years ago, Southwest Airlines experienced a meltdown with its systems during the holidays that led to 16,900 flight cancellations and stranded 2 million passengers. It was eventually fined $140 million in the largest-ever civil penalty for a travel disruption.

Conclusion

The sudden grounding of American Airlines’ flights in the U.S. has caused significant disruption to thousands of passengers’ travel plans. The company has not provided a reason for the grounding, but is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Passengers are advised to check with the airline for updates and to plan accordingly.

FAQs

Q: Why did American Airlines ground all its flights in the U.S.?
A: The company has not provided a reason for the grounding.

Q: How many passengers are affected by the grounding?
A: Thousands of passengers set to fly out for Christmas Eve are affected.

Q: Has the company provided an estimated timeframe for when flights will resume?
A: No, the company has not provided an estimated timeframe for when flights will resume.

Q: What is the company doing to resolve the issue?
A: The company is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Q: Are there any alternative options for passengers affected by the grounding?
A: Passengers are advised to check with the airline for updates and to plan accordingly.