American Airlines faced technical issues on Tuesday morning, leading to the temporary grounding of all US flights. The airline cited a "vendor technology issue" as the cause of the disruption. However, flights were able to resume after about an hour.
Data from Cirium showed that while only 37% of American's flights were running on time by early afternoon, less than 1% had been canceled. The company noted that delays could continue if flight crews exceeded their allowed flying time.
Under new Department of Transportation guidelines, passengers affected by delays or cancellations may be entitled to compensation. American Airlines apologized for the inconvenience caused by the technical issue and assured customers that efforts were being made to minimize disruptions and get passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible.
Flight delays were most prominent at American's hubs in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Dallas/Fort Worth due to both the technical issue and a weather advisory in the Dallas area. The disruptions came at a particularly busy time, with the TSA expecting to screen almost 40 million travelers during the holiday season.
Passengers affected by American's Tuesday disruptions may be eligible for refunds, meal vouchers, and assistance with accommodations depending on the circumstances of their delay. It remains to be seen if the issues experienced on Christmas Eve will continue to impact travel into the following day.