American Airlines was forced to ground all of its flights in the US on one of the busiest Christmas travel days.
The airline’s fleet was briefly grounded across the US due to a technical issue just before 7am Eastern time.
It was cleared to fly again soon after, but the knock-on effect left passengers wondering whether they’d make connecting flights and get home in time for Christmas.
American Airlines said: ‘We have resolved a vendor technology issue that briefly affected flights this morning.
‘We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and have issued a travel alert to allow for additional flexibility.’
A ‘nationwide groundstop for American Airlines’ was ordered by the US Federal Aviation Administration at the airline’s own request.
It had reported a systemwide technical issue just as millions of people were flying home for the holidays.
The meltdown affected its operations while the airline’s website appeared to be working.
It took some time to resume normal flights after the ground stop was cancelled.
American Airlines said in a statement: ‘We’re currently experiencing a technical issue with all American Airlines flights.
‘Your safety is our utmost priority, once this is rectified, we’ll have you safely on your way to your destination.
‘Our team is working to get this rectified so that you can be safely on your way to your family. Your continued patience is appreciated.’
At New York John F. Kennedy Airport, upcoming American Airlines flights appeared listed with their scheduled estimated departure time.
Frustrated passengers trying to travel across the US took to social media to vent their anger and concerns over connecting flights.
More Trending
One passenger asked the airline to ‘tell us whether we should go home or not. Please don’t make us wait in the airport for hours.’
Another one said his plane was already moving and about to take off when it was required to return to the gate and passengers got off.
A passenger on his honeymoon said: ‘What does this mean for connecting flights? Will flights get shifted to the right. It’s our honeymoon. This is a horrific inconvenience last minute.’
The airline issued a travel alert and waived fees to allow some affected passengers to change their flight plans.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.
MORE: Who is Nigel Bates in EastEnders and has actor Paul Bradley appeared in another soap?
MORE: Ex-President Bill Clinton released from hospital after receiving treatment for flu
MORE: Cheeky schoolboy caught biting his toenails during school nativity play
