Technical Issue Grounds 275 American Airlines Flights — And Counting
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A technical issue has grounded all American Airlines flights operated by regional operator PSA Airlines, leading to 275 flight cancellations so far Thursday evening. American Airlines confirms its regional partner "experienced a technical issue that has caused them to cancel their flights for the remainder of the evening."
According to a statement from an American Airlines spokesperson:
Our team, in coordination with PSA, is working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and take care of our customers by accommodating them on mainline flights or other regional carriers. We never want to disrupt our customers’ travel plans, and we are sorry for the trouble this caused. Our customer relations team will be reaching out to all of those who have been impacted by this issue.
Charlotte International Airport (CLT) saw the greatest impact with 125 of the 275 flight cancellations so far. Photos from inside the airport Thursday afternoon show terminal buildings packed with passengers waiting for flights to resume.
The 275 flight cancellations account for just over 4% of the world's largest airline's scheduled flights for Thursday. However, Charlotte saw a much larger impact with 125 cancellations of 672 scheduled American Airlines flights Thursday, a cancellation rate just under 19% for the day.
Hopefully TPG readers stuck in the Charlotte Airport can use their Priority Pass membership to book a free hour at the CLT Minute Suites. After the first free hour, your Priority Pass membership will also get you subsequent hours costing just $28 per hour.
If you're stuck overnight, make sure to check which credit card you used to book this flight. A number of credit cards offer up to $500 of reimbursed expenses for overnight cancellations like this. Here are some of the notable cards that offer this protection:
| Card | Length of Delay | Maximum Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 6 hours | $500 per ticket |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | 12 hours or an overnight stay | $500 per ticket |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard | 12 hours | $500 per ticket |
| Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard | 12 hours | $500 per ticket |
| Citi Premier® Card | 12 hours | $500 per ticket |
Unfortunately there's no sign of how long the issue may persist.