American Airlines grounded nationwide

April 16, 2013

American Airlines has experienced major delays today due to a computer glitch. Over Twitter, the airline announced it was grounded nationwide until 2 p.m. Mountain time.

The issues have created plenty of trouble at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. So far, five departing and four arriving American Airlines flights have been canceled. All were to or from Dallas or Chicago.

Sky Harbor spokesperson Julie Rodriguez said American Airlines counters have been especially busy today. Rodriguez recommended fliers contact American Airlines directly, as checking the Internet might not be good enough.

"It’s not clear whether their flight status is accurate on their website or up to date," Rodriguez said. "If the flight shows on time, you might want to double check by calling the airline."

Part of the problem, Rodriguez said, is many travelers arriving at the airport now do not know about the problems. Personnel are in place to help with the confusion.

UPDATED 4/16/2013 as of 1:59 p.m.: American Airlines' computer system has been restored, but Sky Harbor officials are unclear how flights will be affected throughout the day. It is reccomended that fliers contact the airline directly if they are worried about their trips being affected.