American Airlines briefly grounds all US flights on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered all American Airlines flights grounded in the United States after the carrier reported a technical issue affecting its entire system.

Our team is currently working to rectify the issue, said the airline on social media. 

Thousands of people travelling during the holidays were hit by the latest snag. 

After a few hours, the airline resumed its operations rectifying the issue. 

Several passengers were posting on social media that their flights had been stuck on the runway at various airports and were now being sent back to the gate. The brief technical snag paved the way for a meme-fest on social media.

The airline operates thousands of flights per day to more than 350 destinations in more than 60 countries. 

"Hey, @AmericanAir just tell us whether we should go home or not. Please don't make us wait in the airport for hours," wrote one user.

"Lmfaooooooo all American Airlines flights are grounded because they can’t scan boarding passes. Another reason why this all-digital world is so stupid. There should always be a backup system," wrote another user. 

Earlier too a similar situation affected numerous travellers. In 2022, Southwest Airlines experienced a meltdown with its systems during the holidays that led to 16,900 flight cancellations and stranded 2 million passengers. It was eventually fined $140 million in the largest-ever civil penalty for a travel.