NEW YORK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide on Tuesday due to a technical issue just as the Christmas travel season kicks into overdrive and winter weather is threatening more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive in the United States.
American flights were cleared to fly by federal regulators about one hour after a national ground stop order was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.
There were 1,447 delays for flights entering or leaving the United States early in the day, with 28 cancellations, reported The Associated Press about the development. Snow was falling early in New York and Dallas-Fort Worth International, which is American Airlines’ main hub, was getting hit with rain.
Dallas-Fort Worth had the most delays, followed by Charlotte, North Carolina, Washington, New York, Chicago and Miami, according to the report.
“Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews,” it noted. “And any hiccups – a winter storm or a computer outage – can snowball into massive disruptions.” ■