United Airlines Briefly Halts Flights Nationwide

CHICAGO — United Airlines issued a ground stop mid-day Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Chicago-based carrier in a social media post shortly after 12:30 p.m. cited "a systemwide technology issue" and said it was holding all aircraft at departure airports with airborne flights continuing to their destinations.

"Earlier today a software update caused a widespread slowdown in United's technology systems," the airline said in a prepared statement later Tuesday afternoon. "We briefly held aircraft at their destination airports and resumed normal operations around 12:45 p.m. CT. Our teams are working to get customers to their destinations as soon as possible."

Travelers took to the internet to share news of the ground stop about an hour before United's social media announcement of the issue.

"Stuck on the runway at @DFWAirport thanks to this @United ground stop," a user named Jennifer posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Not fun when you’re in the absolute last row with 4 crying babies near you and it feels like it 90 degrees in the plane."

One of several FAA bulletins said that United crews were unable to contact airline dispatchers through normal means. The FAA said the issue was limited to United and its subsidiaries.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.