United Airlines aircraft were held on the ground across the United States for nearly 40 minutes early today for unexplained technical issues, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA gave the reason for the rare complete ground stop, which affected hundreds of flights, as "automation issues." The stop began at 1254 GMT and was lifted at 1333 GMT.
In a short statement, United said the stop was "to ensure aircraft departed with proper dispatching information."
"We resumed departures at about 8:40 (local time) and are accommodating our customers to their destinations," said United spokesman Charles Hobart.
