All flights operated by American Airlines have been halted on Christmas Eve because of an undisclosed ‘technical issue.’ Flights run by AA subsidiaries are also suspended, and the airline has not provided an estimate for when the issue might be resolved.
A tweet from American Airlines downplayed the seriousness of the situation:
We are experiencing a technical issue with all American Airlines flights. Your safety is our highest priority, and once this is resolved, we will ensure you are safely on your way to your destination.
Our team is working diligently to address the matter. While an estimated timeline has not been shared, efforts are underway to resolve it as quickly as possible.
Nonetheless, an FAA advisory explicitly stated that all AA mainline and subsidiary flights are grounded across the nation.
- DESTINATION AIRPORT: ALL
- DEP FACILITIES INCLUDED: ALL
- PROBABILITY OF EXTENSION: MED
- IMPACTING CONDITION: COMPANY REQUEST
- COMMENTS: NATIONWIDE GROUNDSTOP FOR AAL MAIN AND SUBS
The total grounding of flights, regardless of aircraft model, indicates a significant IT failure. There are speculations of a ransomware attack, but this remains unconfirmed as neither the airline nor the FAA has provided additional details.
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