Ground stop affects travelers at Tucson International Airport on Christmas Eve | News

TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – A nationwide ground stop on Christmas Eve resulted in massive delays for American Airlines passengers across the country, including at Tucson International Airport.

The grounding was triggered by a technical issue, specifically a hardware failure in the airline’s flight data management system, which left many travelers frustrated as they tried to reach their vacation destinations.

The delays impacted flights not only in Tucson but also at various U.S. airports, and American Airlines was working to resolve the issue.

Many passengers faced long wait times or had to rebook their flights, forcing them to seek alternative travel arrangements.

Steven Apolinar, an American Airlines passenger, shared his frustration.

“We were supposed to leave today, the 24th, but now we have been rebooked for December 25th,” he said. “We spoke to the airline and they booked us on a Redeye, but we have to fly out of Phoenix.”

Apolinar expressed disappointment at the last-minute changes, saying: “Finding out we have to do all this is killing us.”

While some travelers were surprised by the delays, others were able to find solutions.

Carl Bedford, another American Airlines passenger, was able to secure a spot on his original flight, now scheduled for 4:05 p.m

“We are going to Dallas to visit our children and grandchildren. “We have a big dinner planned for tonight and will be there in time,” Bedford said, relieved that his plans were still on track.

Despite the challenges, many passengers remain hopeful that their Christmas plans will go as planned despite the widespread delays affecting travelers across the country