A tech glitch may have halted United Airlines flights across the United States, but what really caught attention was what came after. As the airline issued a statement citing a “technology issue” that caused the ground stop, social media exploded with theories suggesting something far more serious — a potential cyber attack.
The incident unfolded when United Airlines announced it was pausing all mainline departures from various airports due to a technical issue. While the carrier avoided going into specifics, Reuters later reported that the disruption was linked to the airline’s internal weight calculation system. This system helps determine safe load distribution for flights before takeoff.
The outage lasted over an hour and affected major hubs including Chicago, Houston, Denver, and Newark. Flights were grounded at departure points during this time, creating frustration among travelers and raising larger questions about what really went wrong.
Online speculation was immediate and intense. Posts on X, formerly Twitter, ranged from cautious concern to full-blown alarm. One user questioned whether this was a case of a cyber breach being downplayed, while others pointed out a possible pattern following a similar incident that recently impacted Alaska Airlines. That incident also involved grounded flights due to an IT outage and lasted for nearly three hours.
Comments from users suggested links to artificial intelligence failures or foreign cyber interference. Some claimed that China could be behind such disruptions, especially when systems related to flight data and calculations are involved.
As of now, there is no official confirmation of any cyber attack. United Airlines has only acknowledged a technology failure and said that services are gradually returning to normal. But the absence of concrete details is leaving the door open for theories and concerns to continue circulating online.
Tech glitches in aviation are not uncommon, but the recurring nature of such outages in close succession has raised eyebrows. Whether it was truly a technical fault or something more concerning remains unclear, but what is certain is the growing public sensitivity toward airline technology and cybersecurity.
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