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This article was updated on July 20 at 9:40 a.m. with new information on United's current delays and cancellations, along with a statement from the carrier.
United Airlines faced a nationwide tech outage on July 18 that affected thousands of passengers across the United States. Issues were reported prior to boarding, particularly during check-in, as the outage delayed boarding.
In addition to the tech outage, United Airlines battled other obstacles, including severe weather on the East Coast and air quality issues at several hubs. United Airlines offered passengers free rebooking at several major U.S. hubs.
However, during the tech outage, several travelers faced lengthy delays, and some were also stuck on the tarmac due to internal disruptions caused by United's tech systems.
United Airlines Tech Outage Affected Airports Nationwide
July 18 brought significant disruptions across the U.S., with 2,437 flights canceled within, into, or out of the United States, according to FlightAware. Although the weather-related ground stops nationwide were a major reason for the flight disruptions, United Airlines faced added pressure due to a tech outage that affected check-in and boarding.
A spokesperson for United confirmed the tech outage to Simple Flying, stating that the disruption impacted the carrier's reservation system. Check-ins could not be processed during the outage, and tickets could not be issued either.
Airlines confirmed the glitch and encouraged travelers to check their flight status while the issues were occurring, as of early Saturday morning, July 18.
"Our teams are getting our operations back to normal after a technology outage affected contact centers and check-in processes earlier today. We encourage customers to check their flight status on the United app as they get ready to travel today."
According to Business Insider, multiple airports were affected by United's tech outage, including Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and San Francisco International Airport.
As a result of the widespread impacts of the tech outage, United saw a surge in delays and cancellations. The tech outage issues were paired with multiple ground stops across the U.S. due to severe weather, particularly in the New York area.
U.S. Airlines With The Most Delayed Flights On July 18
By percentages, United Airlines had the most delays among the major U.S. airlines, delaying 39% of its total flight volume on July 18. Cancellations were also high for the carrier, at 268, affecting 8% of its total flight volume.
How United Airlines Passengers Reacted To The Tech Outage
Online, several passengers reported delay issues on United Airlines flights. For many travelers, issues occurred at the baggage drop location prior to boarding the flight.
One person wrote on Reddit, "Anyone else stuck waiting to check bags? Rumor is system is down all over."
Others faced different kinds of disruptions due to the tech outage. In Frankfurt, a passenger reported that a flight could not take off due to paperwork that could not be issued during the tech outage.
"On a plane now in Frankfurt and can’t take off as gate agents can’t print final paperwork for captains due to system outage," another traveler wrote.
In response to the widespread disruptions, United Airlines did offer passengers various rebooking options on July 18. Among its offers was one for East Coast airports due to thunderstorms. The flexible rebooking offer has been extended to July 19.
United Airlines' Flexible Rebooking Offer For East Coast Hubs Includes:
- Hartford, CT, US (BDL)
- Boston, MA, US (BOS)
- Baltimore, MD, US (BWI)
- Washington, DC, US (DCA)
- Newark, NJ/New York, NY, US (EWR)
- Washington, DC, US (IAD)
- New York, NY, US (LGA)
- Philadelphia, PA, US (PHL)
- Providence, RI, US (PVD)
Following a day of lengthy delays and cancellations, flight disruptions will continue on July 19. By early Sunday morning, United had hit triple-digit flight cancellations.
United Airlines' Current Delays And Cancellations Following Tech Outage
Due to the aftermath of the tech outage and upcoming weather-related events, United Airlines has an increased number of cancellations on July 19, with numbers expected to gradually increase throughout the day.
As of early Sunday morning, United Airlines has had 102 canceled flights and 82 delays.
United is not the only U.S. airline facing cancellations on July 19: Delta has 275 canceled flights, JetBlue has 150, and American Airlines has 114.
TheTravel has reached out to United Airlines for an additional statement regarding its tech outage and its impact on July 19 flights, but had not heard back in time for publication.
How United Airlines Reacted To Its Tech Outage
United Airlines has confirmed that its tech outage issue has been restored. In a statement to TheTravel, the carrier stated that check-in issues occurred on July 18 during the day. Despite restoration, passengers are encouraged to check for updates frequently. United Airlines told TheTravel:
"Our operations are back to normal after a technology outage affected contact centers and check-in processes early in the day on Saturday, July 18. We always encourage customers to check their flight status on the United app as they get ready to travel. Thanks to our customers for their patience and to our teams for their work to get people safely to their destinations."
United added that the outage did not impact flights that had already left the gate or were airborne. The disruptions started around 6 A.M. CT and were resolved a little over an hour later at 7:17 A.M. CT.
Untied Airlines' Disruptions Continued On Sunday
On Sunday, United Airlines hit triple-digit cancellation totals. The airline had 133 cancellations, along with 1,001 delays. Only Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and Republic had more cancellations. United Airlines faced ongoing weather-related disruptions at some of its major hubs, including Newark Liberty International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
U.S. Airlines With The Most Delays On July 19
As of Monday morning, disruptions have stabilized for United. The carrier has seven delays, along with 90 delays.
Its main competitors, including Delta, currently have 127 canceled flights, along with JetBlue's 108 cancellations.
United will look to bounce back following a disruption-filled weekend.
