Major Delays Happen at U.S. Airports Because of a United Airlines Tech Glitch

Newark, NJ, August 6, 2025 —
On Tuesday night, a widespread system failure at United Airlines made travel across the country very difficult. Passengers were stuck on planes and in airports, with Newark Liberty International Airport being one of the worst affected.

Late that night, United had a technology problem that made it impossible for flights to operate normally. Long delays were reported at Newark Liberty (EWR) and several other airports. Many passengers were left to wait on the tarmac or for information without getting clear answers.

Government Officials: Glitch Came from United’s Systems

Government officials at Newark Airport say the issue was caused by United’s own systems. The airport said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that travelers should expect delays because of the outage and should check with United Airlines directly to see the status of their trip.

United Temporarily Grounds Flights as a Safety Measure

The outage was confirmed by United Airlines in a public statement, which also said that they had temporarily stopped a number of flights. It was said that this was done to keep arrival airport gates from getting too crowded, which happens when planes get stuck and can’t leave or enter gates.

United said on social media,

“Our teams are working to get things back to normal as soon as possible. Safety is still our main concern. We are truly sorry for the trouble this has caused our customers.”

At one point in the evening, all United planes coming in were held at the airports where they were leaving from. FlightAware, a company that tracks flights, said that flights leaving the airport were delayed by an average of 45 minutes, and planes coming in could not land until after 10 p.m.

Passengers Grow Frustrated and Voice Concerns Online

The airline’s mistake quickly caused customers who were stuck for hours to become angry and complain. A lot of travelers posted real-time reports on social media about long waits on the runway that no one could explain.

One traveler said they were stuck on an airplane for almost two hours and called it

“another ground system failure.”

Another tourist said that their plane couldn’t park at the gate because there was already one there, which was because of the system problem that was still going on.

United said just after 11 p.m. that its systems were back up and running, even though there were more and more reports and questions. Still, the outage might have effects that last until the next day, depending on how quickly United can change its plan and move gates.

What Passengers Should Do Next

Do one more check of your United flight before you go to the airport if you have one coming up in the next few hours or days. Though the main problem may be solved, system delays may not go away right away. It could take a while.

Depending on how long and what kind of problem there was on Tuesday, people who were affected may be able to rebook, get their money back, or get some other kind of relief. Helpful travelers should get in touch with United personally and look over their passenger rights on official aviation or transportation websites.

Sources:

• FlightAware
• Newark Liberty International Airport – Official X Page
• United Airlines – Official X Page
• U.S. Department of Transportation – Aviation Consumer Protection