The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday afternoon halted all United Airlines flights from departing for just over an hour after the carrier experienced IT issues.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was aware of the issue and that the FAA was receiving information about the cause and scope of the problem.
At 1:50 p.m., the FAA indicated that the ground stop had been lifted.
“We have identified a fix for the technology issue and flights have resumed,” United said in a statement. “We’re working with impacted customers to help them reach their destinations as soon as possible.”
The carrier said a software update caused a widespread slowdown in the airline’s technology systems for just over an hour, adding was no evidence of a cybersecurity attack.
Buttigieg said his department would ensure the airline meets its obligations to affected customers.
Tuesday’s disruption came as travel volumes this summer surpassed 2019 levels, according to the Transportation Security Administration, which said 2023 was the busiest summer travel season on record.
High-profile meltdowns have marred pandemic-era air travel for millions of Americans, prompting regulators and lawmakers to call for more protections for travelers left stranded when flights are canceled or delayed. The Transportation Department created a dashboard that outlines airlines’ policies when disruptions occur.
The agency also has launched an effort to create new rules that would guarantee compensation in the event of cancellations or significant delays that are under airlines’ control. Those actions come as Congress is hammering out an FAA funding bill that could include new measures to ensure airlines take care of customers when issues arise. The current funding measure is set to expire Sept. 30.
However, the FAA also has been criticized for not moving quickly enough to maintain and update its aging IT systems. In January, the agency was forced to issue a nationwide ground stop for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks after its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system failed.
Southwest Airlines was forced to halt departures in April, delaying more than 2,100 flights after a “firewall failure” caused the loss of some of the carrier’s operational data. The airline requested an FAA ground stop, which was lifted about an hour later. The came months after Southwest was scrambling to recover from a high-profile holiday meltdown that affected more than a million customers.