United CEO Scott Kirby said the Federal Aviation Administration’s FAA’s staffing issues led to massive delays, cancellations, diversions, as well as crews and aircraft out of position.

Close to 100 flights in and out of Denver International Airport were cancelled on Tuesday, stranding hundreds of passengers who had to sleep on cots.

The bulk of cancelled flights were by United Airlines.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 62 flights to Denver were cancelled, while 34 flights from DIA didn’t occur.

It’s not immediately clear why so many United flights were cancelled, but United’s CEO blamed the FAA’s staffing shortages in an email to employees on Monday evening.

By 5 p.m. Tuesday, some 500 United Airlines flights had been cancelled in the U.S., the most by any airline, according to a tracking website.

The cancellations had begun over the weekend and irate customers vented their frustrations on social media.

United customers posted photos of hours-long phone calls on hold with United customer service and piles of boxes for the cots they slept on overnight.

Robert Wark, who was travelling out of Newark on Sunday, said flights were cancelled but not one United employee could tell people what’s happening or when folks could retrieve their bags.

In a message to employees, United CEO Scott Kirby said the Federal Aviation Administration “failed us.” 

FAA staffing issues in the midst of East Coast weather challenges are at the core of United’s operational issues, Scott said.

Over 150,000 customers are estimated to have been impacted last weekend by FAA staffing issues and their ability to manage traffic.

Scott said the FAA’s staffing issues led to massive delays, cancellations, diversions, as well as crews and aircraft out of position.

Scott plans to get in touch with the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation to discuss steps to prevent Tuesday’s cancellations from happening again.

FAA spokesperson Emma Duncan said there were no East Coast staffing issues on Monday or Tuesday.

A DIA spokesperson said airport authorities do not have information about the reason for United’s cancellations or how many people at the airport were affected.

DIA officials urged anyone affected by the cancellations to reach out to United.

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