allchronology.com profile picture

Carter P. Hayes @allchronology.com

United Airlines just grounded the nation. A single glitch in an ancient computer system sent airports into chaos, stranding thousands. Flights canceled. Vacations wrecked. And the culprit? A software fossil called Unimatic. Welcome to air travel in 2025.

United Airlines passengers across the country found themselves stranded, confused, and angry on Wednesday as a massive technology failure triggered a nationwide grounding of flights. The culprit: U…

Outdated Software, Nationwide Chaos: United Airlines Grounds Flights After System Meltdown

United Airlines passengers across the country found themselves stranded, confused, and angry on Wednesday as a massive technology failure triggered a nationwide grounding of flights. The culprit: U…

Replies

  6. retire411.bsky.social profile picture

    Margo @retire411.bsky.social

    Not surprised. Have heard awful stories of cancellations and delays because only so many planes can leave or arrive in a day. Can’t go over the limit.

    0
  7. stevie49.bsky.social profile picture

    Steve @stevie49.bsky.social

    So, did no one foresee this likelihood...or was this a monetary issue that airlines were not willing to invest in...or was this a government failure? Or all of the above?

    0
  11. djmonijn.bsky.social profile picture

    Djmonijn @djmonijn.bsky.social

    Thinking it’s not the equipment, seems the last 8 months they fired all the people who knew how to operate it. The dui and pedo hires don’t know how

    0
  15. burshu.bsky.social profile picture

    @burshu.bsky.social

    A single glitch in an ancient brain is grounding the nation, stranding millions. Lives canceled. Homes wrecked. And the culprit? A human fossil called "T*ump".

    Welcome to America in 2025.

    0
  16. tiger-fred.bsky.social profile picture

    Tiger-Fred @tiger-fred.bsky.social

    Every story about this I see has one or more photos of Boeing Aircraft, which we should know to be rather dangerous. Maybe it's not United, but Boeing that should be named. Are other airlines experiencing the same problems with Boeing aircraft? Would they tell us if they were?

    0
  22. jasoncampbell617.bsky.social profile picture

    @jasoncampbell617.bsky.social

    I guess Congress should have listened to Buttigieg? Now with a Faux News host who's completely incompetent, it's only going to get worse.

    0
  23. orengteach.bsky.social profile picture

    English Teacher @orengteach.bsky.social

    Corporations stopped investing in new technology as soo as the regan adminstration (Bjork, I think) said that corporations only responsability is to their shareholders. They stopped innovating, they stopped paying fair wages, or caring about consumers or the community. Greed did this.

    0
  24. jmg25-n.bsky.social profile picture

    Jeanne @jmg25-n.bsky.social

    Pete Buttigieg vs Sean Duffy. At least Pete identified the problems and was systematically working on them. Meanwhile Sean’s mind is on the moon.

    0
  28. thetallsister.bsky.social profile picture

    RubinRubin 🌈 @thetallsister.bsky.social

    In 2024, United Airlines (UA) CEO Scott Kirby emerged as the highest-paid airline executive among major US carriers, with a total compensation of $33.9 million.

    This marked a significant rise from his 2023 earnings and signaled a return to uncapped executive pay following COVID-era restrictions.

    0
  33. thisis-insane.bsky.social profile picture

    @thisis-insane.bsky.social

    They just HAD to keep kicking that "time to upgrade the system" can down the road, didn't they? I mean what are they thinking? Do that crap when it's NOT a Holiday travel season, AT LEAST!! YOU NEED TO RE - WRITE THE SOFTWARE? YES. YES YOU DO. Get that garbage done! YESTERDAY.

    0
  34. paulalj.bsky.social profile picture

    @paulalj.bsky.social

    These problems have always occurred. Now there is no-one with any degree of competence to lead the agency & too few workers to accomplish the job. It also doesn’t help that the majority of the budget is going to crap like ice, rose garden decor, ballroom construction and handouts to billionaires.

    0
  36. mkregular.bsky.social profile picture

    @mkregular.bsky.social

    Unfortunately, this is kind of the norm for software in the industry. I tf s held together by duct tape and bubblegum.

    0
  38. fortherepublicbsky.bsky.social profile picture

    For the Republic @fortherepublicbsky.bsky.social

    Oh my God, I can’t believe they are still using Unimatic in 2025. I worked for the commercial refueling contractor approximately 20 years ago, and we were using that system and it was really old then.

    0
  45. jimmbuzz.bsky.social profile picture

    @jimmbuzz.bsky.social

    Legacy tech isn't the problem. This only took a few hours to fix.

    It's that fundamental stuff like this isn't prioritized by management. The stock market rewards short term profits, not long term prudent management.

    3
  47. julia1985881.bsky.social profile picture

    @julia1985881.bsky.social

    This is not a simple mistake, but a small system problem that affects the travel of so many people. I have to doubt their professionalism.

    0
  50. mogigo.bsky.social profile picture

    @mogigo.bsky.social

    The Boomers are a failed generation, they've created a society functioning entirely on greed.

    0
  53. vglntgrandma.bsky.social profile picture

    @vglntgrandma.bsky.social

    We were impacted. The worst part: we kept getting messages saying the delays were due to “ weather”. Everyone knew better. There are windows at airports. 🙄

    2
  55. stephenbskysocial.bsky.social profile picture

    @stephenbskysocial.bsky.social

    So where is Sean Duffy????👀 If it was on Pete’s watch the fox propaganda network would be losing their minds!!!!

    0
  57. cowgirl52.bsky.social profile picture

    @cowgirl52.bsky.social

    You can blame this do nothing fuck for that! Stick with corporate America and let America's infrastructure fall apart! Mr. Russia man has let China take the lead.

    0
  59. bamaboomer.bsky.social profile picture

    @bamaboomer.bsky.social

    Well, you know capitalists won't spend money on upgrading their networks. They have fourth and fifth mansions, yachts, and pimps to pay.

    0
  61. tischtak.bsky.social profile picture

    FKNPSD! @tischtak.bsky.social

    Did my last flight a few weeks ago. Will not be flying again until this regime is in History's incinerator.

    0
  62. johnd26.bsky.social profile picture

    @johnd26.bsky.social

    A 30 year old operating system is not the problem as oprating systems do not wear out. 30 year old hardware. however. does.

    0
  65. genx2024.bsky.social profile picture

    @genx2024.bsky.social

    I don’t believe the software excuse. We didn’t have these problems while Biden was in office & when Pete was Secretary of Transportation. What changed? We now have a regime that fired a lot of talent in the industry. People who they labeled “DEI Hires.”

    0
  70. civil4liberties.bsky.social profile picture

    @civil4liberties.bsky.social

    As someone very familiar with the aviation business, IT meltdowns have been happening with major air carriers for years. As soon as trump took office we saw an uptick in near misses and AC crashes. It’s because Elon started to install AI into an antiquated FAA IT network. www.gao.gov/blog/outdate...

    How long does it take to get a payment from the government? Tax refunds, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid claims, and much more are processed through federal IT systems. But many of these system...

    Outdated and Old IT Systems Slow Government and Put Taxpayers at Risk

    How long does it take to get a payment from the government? Tax refunds, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid claims, and much more are processed through federal IT systems. But many of these system...
    0
  73. anglospud.bsky.social profile picture

    @anglospud.bsky.social

    Putting profits over safety and customer satisfaction. Love the ability to fly Air Canada and Westjet.

    0
  76. eleesc.bsky.social profile picture

    @eleesc.bsky.social

    We have had increasing delays, near misses, to crashes ever since DOGE fired controllers and messed with the software all in an effort for Musk to be given the contracts over Verizon.

    0