American Airlines faces severe disruption due to computer outage

In the United States, American Airlines experienced significant operational disruptions due to a widespread outage of its flight information computer system on June 27, 2025. Reports indicate that the technical failure started around 2:00 PM ET, affecting various functions critical to flight operations, including booking, check-in, ticketing, and baggage tagging. Affected airports, notably Miami International Airport, confirmed being notified of the issue shortly after it began, with extensive delays being reported by travelers and airlines alike. Passengers across various locations described being stranded on planes for hours, with one passenger in Arizona recounting being stuck on the tarmac while awaiting clearance for takeoff. The situation escalated to the point where, by 2:30 PM, 21% of American Airlines flights were delayed, and 2% were canceled according to FlightAware. Additionally, its subsidiary, PSA Airlines, saw 27% of flights delayed and 11% canceled that day. Those on the ground reported various frustrations, including a plane sitting idle and waiting for a gate for nearly 50 minutes after landing. As the outage persisted, airline representatives communicated to affected individuals that they were addressing the technical difficulties, assuring that the disrupted systems were coming back online. However, passengers faced extended waits, with one individual stuck on the plane waiting for maintenance data to be entered due to the failure of the electronic maintenance system. This outage raised concerns among travelers about the reliability of American Airlines' operations. Federal Aviation Administration officials, while not reporting specific safety concerns that would ground flights, acknowledged a brief weather issue but stated it was unrelated to the delays. Airlines that typically operate under such conditions struggled to manage the cascading effects of the outage. By the end of the day, while some systems were reported restored, the chaotic aftermath left many travelers frustrated and questioning the airline's preparedness for similar incidents in the future.