‘Vendor Issue’ Prompts Christmas Eve Ground Stop

American Airlines says a "vendor technology issue" prompted a nationwide ground stop on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Ryan Ewing

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at 09:14 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American A319 in Phoenix. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Key Takeaways:

American Airlines says a “vendor technology issue” prompted a nationwide ground stop on Christmas Eve. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline and its regional subsidiaries were forced to halt flights on Tuesday.

The ground stop lasted roughly an hour. According to data from Anuvu Pulse, just 22% of the carrier’s flights have left on-time so far.

Flights resumed around 8 a.m. ET after the issue was resolved.

“We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience this morning,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement. “It’s all hands on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as quickly as possible.”

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.