Updated at 10:45 a.m. ET
United Airlines flights around the world were temporarily suspended Wednesday morning due to “automation issues,” according to an air traffic control system advisory notice. The airline told CNBC the problem affected about 3,500 flights worldwide.
“We experienced a network connectivity issue this morning,” a United spokesperson said during the ground stop. “We are working to resolve this and apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.”
The ground stop was lifted at approximately 10 a.m. ET, although travelers can expect delays throughout the day as the effects of the situation echo through the air traffic control system. In a statement, United said, “We are recovering from a network connectivity issue this morning and restoring regular flight operations. We will have a waiver available at united.com for customers who are able to change their flight plans.”
United suffered similar issues just last month.
United Airlines merged with Continental Airlines in 2010; their parent company is now known as United Continental Holdings.