All departing flights across the United States were ordered to remain on the ground shortly before 22:00 on Friday as the Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop.
FAA Issues Nationwide Ground Stop Over Communications Failures
US Transportation Sean Duffy said on X that the halt stemmed from “a communications problem affecting all air traffic control centers” and confirmed that FAA technicians “are investigating the problem.” The agency pointed to “extraordinary circumstances and for security reasons,” ordering all outbound traffic to stay put while incoming international flights were handled on a case-by-case basis.
Nearly 7,000 flights faced delays or cancellations as a result of the nationwide order, according to Sky News reporting cited by Expressen. Planes already airborne were allowed to land safely. Ground operations at multiple major hubs were frozen. Before the nationwide directive, CBS News reported that traffic at two major airfields in Chicago had been halted due to the communication disruptions.
The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U. S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.
Officials Compare Rare Flight Stop to Past Emergencies
Rikstäckande flygstopp of this scale are exceptionally rare in the United States. Aftonbladet said that such sweeping measures are typically reserved for severe emergencies, comparing the action to the national ground stop ordered following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The last comparable nationwide stop occurred in January 2023, when a pilot notification system experienced a critical failure.
SAS press chief Alexandra Lindgren Kaoukji said that the airline had five flights airborne toward the United States when the order came down, noting that officials would prioritize international flights and handle arrivals manually on a case-by-case basis. Law enforcement sources told CNN that preliminary information did not point to a cyberattack.
