American Airlines has suspended all flights in the United States due to what the company described as a “technical issue” in a statement on Tuesday morning.
“There is a technical issue impacting American flights this morning,” an American Airlines spokesperson told CNN on Tuesday morning. “Our team is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
CNN first reported the grounding, citing an advisory notice from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An FAA statement said American Airlines had requested a nationwide ground stop but referred all questions to the airline for more information, the outlet reported.
Christmas travelers began sharing complaints about delays and diversions on social media early Tuesday morning. In a now widely shared video from the busy Fort Lauderdale airport, an airport employee can be heard saying “our system is down” and crew members cannot board the tanning bed.
American Airlines did not provide an official timeline for resolving the issue, but told passengers on Flight X that it was “trying to fix it in the shortest possible time.”
One response from American Airlines said: “Your safety is our top priority, and once this is corrected, we will get you safely on your way to your destination.”
This isn't the first time a nationwide airline has faced severe technical issues during the busy holiday period. In 2022, millions of passengers were stranded after Southwest Airlines canceled more than 16,900 flights due to operational collapse. A severe storm left the airline crippled by staffing problems as flight attendants and pilots were out of position for their next flights, passengers' bags piled up and planes were delayed in clearing ice. The airline was fined a record $140 million by the US government in 2023.
