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United Airlines Restores Flights Following Software Outage

United Airlines Resumes Operations Following Nationwide Software Disruption
United Airlines restored its flight operations late Wednesday after a significant software outage temporarily grounded numerous flights and caused widespread travel disruptions across the United States. The incident affected over 1,000 flights and led to extensive delays at key hubs including Chicago O’Hare, Denver, and Houston.
Details of the Outage and Its Impact
The disruption began at 5:12 p.m. Central Time on August 6, 2025, originating from a failure in United’s Unimatic system. This critical platform is responsible for distributing flight information to various operational systems, including those managing aircraft weight and balance calculations and tracking flight times. The failure halted departing flights for several hours, triggering a cascade of delays and cancellations throughout United’s network.
By Wednesday evening, United confirmed that the technical issue had been resolved. In an official statement, the airline acknowledged that while residual delays were expected, efforts were underway to restore normal operations. United also clarified that the outage was unrelated to recent cybersecurity incidents affecting the airline industry.
Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated that 1,093 United flights—approximately 35% of its schedule—were delayed on Wednesday, with an additional 218 flights, or 7%, canceled. Delays continued into Thursday, with 5% of flights delayed and 4% canceled. At major airports such as Chicago O’Hare, Houston, and Newark, aircraft were observed waiting on taxiways either for departure clearance or available gates to disembark passengers.
Passenger Experience and Operational Response
Passengers endured prolonged waits on the tarmac, during which flight attendants distributed snacks and water to alleviate discomfort. At Washington Dulles International Airport, a United flight bound for Mexico City returned to the gate after nearly three hours on the tarmac, allowing passengers to disembark and stretch their legs in the terminal while awaiting further updates.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that ground stops were temporarily implemented for United flights at several major airports, including Denver, Houston, Newark, San Francisco, and Chicago. Importantly, the FAA emphasized that there was no risk to aircraft already in flight during the outage.
In response to the disruption, United announced it would waive change fees for affected travelers with bookings between August 7 and August 10. This policy applies to flights involving 14 cities, including Washington, Houston, London, and Frankfurt.
Industry Context and Outlook
This incident follows closely on the heels of a similar technology failure experienced by Alaska Air Group two weeks prior, which temporarily grounded its entire fleet. The recent disruption at United has heightened concerns within the industry regarding airline reliability and customer satisfaction. Competitors are reportedly monitoring the situation closely, potentially seeking strategic or public relations opportunities.
As the world’s largest airline by capacity, United is now focused on stabilizing its operations and minimizing further disruptions to its customers.

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