The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted the nationwide ground stop for American Airlines and its subsidiaries, signaling the end of a significant disruption that affected flights across the U.S. The airline confirmed that flights are now boarding, and operations are returning to normal, with the ground stop officially over. The issue, caused by a technical problem, had led to widespread delays during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Passengers faced delays of up to 90 minutes, with some flights returning to their gates. A software outage, reportedly preventing weight and balance calculations, was cited as the cause of the disruption.
Travelers, including David Myers, a 62-year-old consultant traveling from Salisbury, Maryland, to New Orleans, expressed frustration to CNN over the delays but understood the importance of safety. Myers, hoping to spend Christmas with his children, emphasized that clearer communication at the gate would have been helpful.
At the time of the outage, American Airlines did not provide an estimated resolution time, and the airline's stock dropped nearly 3% in premarket trading due to the technical setback.
This comes on one of the busiest days for travel of the season with 40 million people estimated to fly this Christmas season, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
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08:29 AM EST
White Christmases becoming rarer as winter warms across the U.S.
While many dream of a white Christmas, the reality is that such scenes are becoming increasingly rare. Winter is now the fastest-warming season in the U.S., with significant warming "hot spots" observed in New England and the Upper Midwest.
According to Elizabeth Burakowski, a research assistant professor of earth sciences at the University of New Hampshire, warmer temperatures are shifting the ratio of precipitation, with more of it falling as rain instead of snow. As temperatures continue to rise, the trend is expected to worsen, further reducing the likelihood of snow on Christmas Day in many parts of the country.
08:26 AM EST
Holiday weather outlook: travel disruptions expected Christmas Eve and Day
According to The Weather Channel, weather conditions are likely to cause travel disruptions across the U.S. this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
In the Northeast, light snow is expected to continue into Christmas Eve, with accumulations generally under a couple of inches, reaching parts of the New York City Tri-state and southern New England. There's also a chance of patchy light freezing rain or drizzle across the mid-Atlantic, including northern Virginia, southeast Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey, before temperatures warm above freezing during the day.
In the South, rain showers and thunderstorms will affect areas from eastern Texas to Missouri on Christmas Eve, with the rain spreading across the lower Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley on Christmas Day. While severe storms are unlikely, heavy rain and wet roads will be the primary concern for travelers.
Out West, rain and mountain snow are expected to impact California, Oregon, and Washington on Christmas Eve, with light precipitation in Southern California. A more significant storm will bring wind and rain to the Pacific Northwest and northwest California Christmas afternoon and night, with localized flash flooding possible in these regions.
Potential airport weather delays are expected at major hubs including San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston on Christmas Eve, and in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, and New Orleans on Christmas Day.
08:22 AM EST
FAA cancels American Airlines ground stop as airline continues boarding processes
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has canceled the nationwide ground stop for American Airlines and its subsidiaries, allowing operations to resume. The ground stop was imposed earlier due to a technical issue affecting the airline's systems.
American Airlines has confirmed that flights are now boarding, and the disruption has come to an end. While the airline had experienced significant delays, normal operations are now in progress. Passengers are advised to check their flight status for any remaining updates.
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