United Airlines Emergencies Surge: From Mayday Landings to System Outages — Can Flyers Still Trust the Carrier?

United Airlines is under renewed scrutiny after two major incidents — a mayday emergency landing and a widespread system outage — disrupted operations within days of each other.

The mayday call was made on 25 July 2025 by Flight UA108 due to a suspected engine failure, while a technology failure on 6 August grounded hundreds of flights across the United States. The events have sparked questions about the airline's operational resilience and passenger safety.

Mayday Declared on Flight UA108

On 25 July 2025, United Airlines Flight UA108 from Washington Dulles to Munich declared a mayday shortly after take-off. The Boeing 787 aircraft experienced a suspected failure in its left engine at approximately 5,000 feet. The flight crew returned the aircraft to Dulles International Airport where it landed safely. Emergency response units were on standby, and no injuries were reported.

Footage from aviation trackers and air traffic communications confirmed the emergency call. Passengers were later rebooked on alternative flights. According to reports, the incident was contained swiftly without causing further disruption to nearby departures.

System Outage Grounds Flights Across the United States

Just days after the mayday landing, United Airlines suffered a major system-wide outage on 6 August 2025. The airline's Unimatic system, responsible for critical flight data such as weight and balance calculations, experienced a failure that forced a temporary ground stop across all U.S. airports.

The disruption affected key hubs including Chicago O'Hare, Newark Liberty, Houston Bush, San Francisco, and Denver. Over 1,100 United flights were delayed, with around 76 flights cancelled, according to Flighaware.

United Airlines clarified that the issue was not caused by a cyberattack. A spokesperson stated: 'The underlying technology issue has been resolved, and, while we expect residual delays, our team is working to restore our normal operations.' The airline categorised the situation as a 'controllable delay', offering compensation such as hotel stays and meal vouchers to affected passengers.

Passenger Reports Highlight Chaos and Uncertainty

Travellers took to social media to share experiences of delays and missed connections. Many reported being stuck on planes with no clear information from the crew.

Passengers also expressed concern over United's preparedness, given that the failure of one system halted nationwide operations. Although the airline has resumed normal services, residual delays continued for hours after the outage.

Regulatory and Operational Response

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) collaborated with United to manage the backlog and ensure flight safety. Aviation analysts note that such system failures, while rare, highlight the growing risks tied to centralised airline technology platforms.

United Airlines has not disclosed whether the issue resulted from internal server problems or external technical dependencies. The airline has since stated that it is reviewing the incident to avoid future disruptions.

Impact on UK Travellers and Transatlantic Routes

The outage also affected several United Airlines flights between the UK and the U.S., particularly routes from London Heathrow to Chicago, Newark, and Washington. Delays ranged from one to four hours, causing missed connections for onward European travel.

Frequent flyers and business travellers in the UK have voiced concern, particularly as United is a major transatlantic carrier and part of the Star Alliance network. British travel agencies have also noted an increase in customer inquiries following the incidents.