FAA Halts U.S. Departures After Air Traffic Control Communications Outage
A communications problem prompted the FAA to pause domestic departures nationwide. Here’s what the ground stop means for travelers.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon after a communications problem affected the regional air traffic control centers that guide planes between airports. The agency said it paused departures for safety while technicians investigated. Associated Press
What does a ground stop mean?
A ground stop keeps affected flights at their departure airports. On Friday, domestic departures were paused, and the FAA handled international departures case by case. Officials said aircraft already in the air were accounted for and continued to land. FAA ground-stop guide · Associated Press live updates
What caused the disruption?
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the communications problem affected all 22 regional air traffic control centers. The underlying cause was still under investigation. The Associated Press reported that this was the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023. Associated Press
When will flights resume?
The FAA order was in effect through at least 11 p.m. Eastern (9 p.m. in Phoenix) Friday, according to the Associated Press. That was the time listed on the order. Individual departure times depend on airline updates. If you’re flying, check your airline’s app or website for your specific flight before heading to the airport. Associated Press live updates · FAA airspace status