United Airlines Flight Disruption Sparks Cyber Attack Speculation Online

A tech issue grounded United Airlines flights across major U.S. airports, prompting online speculation of a cyber attack. The airline blamed its weight calculation system but didn’t reveal full details. Similar recent outages at Alaska Airlines have fueled suspicion, though no official evidence of external interference has been confirmed.

A major technical issue grounded United Airlines flights across several U.S. airports on Wednesday, triggering a wave of speculation online about a potential cyber attack. The airline confirmed the disruption, stating that “a technology issue” had forced them to hold mainline flights at departure airports, but did not provide detailed information about the nature of the problem.

According to reports from Reuters, the issue stemmed from United’s weight calculation system—an essential tool used to determine aircraft balance and safety before takeoff. The outage lasted over an hour and affected major airports, including Houston, Chicago, Denver, and Newark.

Although the airline attributed the disruption to internal tech problems, many social media users were unconvinced. “Are we sure this wasn't a cyber attack?” one user posted, while another commented, “Alaska Airlines just had this problem, and now them? Fishy fishy.” Others went further, suggesting possible foreign interference, with one user speculating, “Could be a cyber attack by China if calculations are involved.”

The timing of the incident fueled the rumors, as it closely followed a similar episode with Alaska Airlines just weeks earlier. That airline also faced a nationwide ground stop due to IT-related issues, which raised further questions about vulnerabilities in airline tech systems.

United Airlines addressed customer concerns in a public statement, assuring travelers that “safety is our top priority,” and acknowledging there would be additional delays as the issue is resolved. The company has not confirmed any links to external interference or malicious cyber activity.

Also Read: Hiroshima Marks 80 Years Since Atomic Bombing as Survivors Urge Nuclear Disarmament

As flights gradually resumed, the incident highlighted growing anxieties around digital infrastructure in the aviation sector, especially in an era where system outages can bring global carriers to a halt within minutes.