A major computer outage affecting Delta Air Lines and United Airlines has disrupted operations across the United States, leaving passengers facing delays and difficulties accessing airline services.
The problems began around 11:40 a.m. ET on Tuesday, according to outage-tracking website Downdetector, which recorded a sharp increase in reports involving both carriers.
The disruption has affected airline websites, mobile applications and, in some locations, the systems used to process passengers at airport gates.
Delta Passengers Unable to Board Flights
The impact was particularly visible at some Delta airports, where passengers reportedly found themselves unable to board flights because airline computer systems were not functioning properly.
Independent journalist Dave Bondy reported on social media that Delta passengers at Detroit were unable to board after the airline’s computer systems went down.
Other travelers reported encountering similar problems at major Delta locations, including Atlanta and Tampa.
The disruption has added to concerns for passengers already at airports as staff attempt to manage boarding and other travel procedures without access to normal computer systems.
Delta App Problems Leave Travelers Stranded
Downdetector reports indicated that the outage was also heavily affecting Delta’s digital services.
More than half of the people reporting problems with Delta said they were experiencing difficulties with the airline’s app, which is used for booking flights, checking in and managing upcoming journeys.
For travelers preparing to fly, the loss of access to these services can make it difficult to obtain boarding information, review reservations or make changes to their travel plans.
United Customers Report Login Failures
United Airlines was facing a similar problem, with customers reporting that they could not access the airline’s online services.
Nearly 60 percent of United customers reporting an outage to Downdetector said they were unable to log into the airline’s customer portal.
One frustrated traveler posted online that they had been unable to access their account during the morning.
Another passenger said the United app was unavailable and claimed they could neither log in nor reach customer support.
United Confirms Temporary Technical Issue
United acknowledged the disruption, confirming that a technical problem was affecting both its website and mobile application.
The airline said customers were temporarily unable to sign into their MileagePlus accounts and advised affected travelers to try again later.
The carrier described the problem as a temporary technical issue and said its teams were working to restore the affected services.
Travel Disruption Continues as Airlines Work on Fix
The simultaneous problems at two of America’s major airlines have raised concerns for passengers traveling during the disruption, particularly those relying on digital check-in and airport computer systems.
At this stage, the full cause and extent of the outage have not been established.
With reports continuing to emerge from passengers at different airports, travelers are being left waiting for systems to return to normal while the airlines work to resolve the technical problems.
This is a developing story and further details are expected as Delta and United provide additional information.
