American Airlines (AA), the largest airline in the world, resumed its flights on Tuesday after a technical issue halted all its operations in the United States. The disruption came during the busy Christmas travel period, leaving thousands of passengers stranded nationwide.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the airline requested a ground stop for all its flights early Tuesday morning. About an hour later, American Airlines announced that flights were beginning to board again, and the FAA lifted the nationwide ground stop.

“A technical issue with our service provider briefly impacted flights this morning,” American Airlines stated in a press release shared with ABC News. “The issue has been resolved, and flights have resumed. We sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused and are working diligently to get everyone to their destinations as quickly as possible.”

In a post shared on X, formerly Twitter, the airline explained: “Your safety is our top priority. Once this is resolved, we will get you to your destination safely.” However, the company did not provide a specific timeline for resolving the issue, urging passengers to remain patient.

The suspension caused significant delays, particularly unwelcome during one of the busiest travel seasons. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has estimated that it will screen nearly 40 million travelers between December 19 and January 2, reflecting a 6.2% increase from last year. American Airlines had anticipated December 27 and 20 to be its busiest travel days this holiday season.

Passenger Reactions and Operational Recovery

The sudden suspension left many passengers stranded at airports across the country. Social media platforms were flooded with posts from frustrated travelers, while American Airlines’ customer support teams worked to address the chaos.

Bridgett Frey, a spokesperson for the FAA, stated, “American Airlines reported a technical issue this morning and requested a nationwide flight suspension. The suspension has now been lifted.”

The airline’s subsidiary flights were also impacted. A message on the FAA’s website referred to the situation as a “nationwide halt,” highlighting the extensive reach of the disruption.

As operations resume, the airline aims to minimize residual delays and restore normalcy before the peak holiday travel rush.