Summary

A nationwide “technical issue” briefly grounded American Airlines flights early Tuesday, disrupting travel on a busy Christmas Eve.

The airline requested an FAA ground stop, which was lifted after about an hour as flights resumed boarding.

American Airlines apologized for the inconvenience, stating safety remained the top priority.

The disruption comes amid a record holiday travel period, with the TSA expecting to screen nearly 40 million passengers between Dec. 19 and Jan. 2.