United Airlines system hacked? Theories emerge amid massive outage, FAA ground stop

United Airlines experienced a massive system outage on Wednesday, resulting in several flight halts and a FAA ground stop across several airports

Published on: Aug 7, 2025, 06:47:35 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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United Airlines experienced a massive system outage on Wednesday, resulting in several flight halts and a FAA ground stop across several airports. The airline said that it is ‘expecting additional flight delays this evening as we work through this issue’. Now, theories about a system hack have emerged.

United Airlines planes are seen at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (AFP)

“Due to a technology issue, we are holding United mainline flights at their departure airports,” the airline further added.

Ground stops were in place at airports including Denver, Houston, New Jersey, San Francisco, and Chicago, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This comes days after Alaska Air temporarily grounded its entire fleet due to a data center equipment failure that affected several of the carrier’s key operating systems.

In its latest statement, United Airlines said: “United Airlines has halted all US departures due to a nationwide system failure affecting aircraft load calculations. The disruption has led to a complete standstill, with all flights grounded and no takeoffs or movement expected until the issue is resolved. United anticipates the issue will persist throughout the evening, with frustrated passengers reporting being stuck on the tarmac.”

United Airlines system hacked?

Several social media users shared unsubstantiated claims about a potential hack.

“Is this event somehow linked to a hack of some kind?” one person asked on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

Elon Musk-led xAI's bot Grok, however, clarified that there is no evidence about a hack.

"No evidence links United Airlines' ground stop to a hack. Official statements cite a "technology issue" affecting operations at hubs like Chicago and Denver. Sources: FAA, CBS News, Reuters. Delays ongoing, but safety prioritized," it noted.

After a traveler tagged United Airlines in a post, the company responded saying: “Hi there, Neil. Thank you for reaching out. We’re aware of the system error at this time and are working on a fix to have you on your way as soon as possible. We understand that this disruption has caused frustrations during your travel and appreciate your continued patience.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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