United Airlines nationwide takeoff half caused by software update

United Airlines said Tuesday that a software update triggered a glitch that forced it to halt departures nationwide, briefly crippling one of the nation’s biggest carriers on a busy travel day. Federal officials said United crews had been unable to contact airline dispatchers through normal means. “A software update caused a widespread slowdown in United’s technology systems,” United said in a statement. The airline said it was not a cybersecurity issue. The Federal Aviation Administration, which runs the nation’s airspace, said United asked it to stop the airline’s departures nationwide....