Nearly 7,000 flights faced delays or cancellations across the United States on Friday after a sweeping communication failure disabled air traffic control centers nationwide, triggering the second nationwide ground stop since the September 11 terrorist attacks, according to data from FlightAware cited by LRT.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered all departing flights to remain grounded indefinitely due to extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns, while aircraft already airborne were permitted to land. International flights inbound to the United States are being evaluated on a case-by-case basis, as reported by 15min.lt.
“FAA has issued a ground stop for all U.S. airports due to a communication issue affecting all air route traffic control centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. As soon as we have new information, we will share it immediately,” said U.S. Transportation Seanas Duffy.
Law enforcement sources speaking to CNN confirmed that early indications suggest the disruption was not the result of a cyberattack. The directive mirrors an incident in January 2023 when the FAA briefly halted domestic departures due to a pilot notification system failure, marking only the second time nationwide departures have been frozen since 2001.
The agency has struggled with aging infrastructure, frequent equipment malfunctions, communication glitches, and a severe shortage of air traffic controllers.
| Event / Funding Request | Date / Context | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Ground Stop | January 2023 | Nationwide domestic departure halt lasting under two hours due to pilot notification system failure. |
| Infrastructure Funding | Previous Year | Congress allocated 12,5 mlrd. dolerių toward modernizing pasenusią infrastruktūrą. |
| Additional Funding Request | Friday | The FAA and the White House formally requested an additional 30,1 mlrd. dolerių from lawmakers. |
Prior to the nationwide grounding order, communication failures in the air route traffic control network forced the agency to restrict operations in Chicago, requiring all departing aircraft to stay on the ground until further notice.
“Skrydžiai turi likti sustabdyti iki atskiro pranešimo,” said the FAA in an official release cited by LRT, emphasizing that operations remain frozen until further notice.
Earlier coverage: FAA Issues Nationwide Ground Stop Due to Air Traffic Control Communication Issues
