The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a nationwide ground stop due to “extraordinary circumstances.”
“The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers,” the agency told Fox News Digital. “FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide updates.”
In an alert, the FAA said all airports are ground stopped “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”
“All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice,” the FAA continued. “Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis.”
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While rare, a nationwide ground stop isn’t unprecedented.
Friday’s announcement marks the second time such a measure has been ordered since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, when the entire airspace over the United States was closed.
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The most recent nationwide ground stop occurred on Jan. 11, 2023, following a catastrophic failure of the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) safety system, which resulted in thousands of delayed flights and hundreds of cancellations.
Immediately following the alert, 3,100 flights were inbound for U.S. airports, according to flight tracking platform FlightRadar24. Flights are usually allowed to land during a ground stop.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote on X: “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.”
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said at the White House: “This is not 9/11,” adding that it was being investigated as a telecommunication outage.”
“It’s a telecommunication outage. I’m not going to get ahead of FAA. That’s their lane to talk about,” Mullen said. “We were wanting to assure all the American people this isn’t a safety risk to the American people or another 9/11. I think that’s what a lot of people are trying to make the comparison to, and that’s not the case.”
The FAA told Fox News any claims there was a software outage issue are false.
Several airports put out their own statements.
Atlanta International Airport wrote on X: “The FAA has issued a ground stop affecting departures at ATL and other major airports. Departures are temporarily suspended. Travelers should check with their airlines for flight updates. We will provide an update as more information becomes available.”
Boston’s Logan International Airport released a statement that read: “The FAA has issued a nationwide ground stop impacting flights at Boston Logan and airports across the country. We are monitoring the situation and working with the FAA and our airline partners. Passengers should check with their airlines for the latest flight updates.”
“A nationwide @FAAnews ground stop is currently in effect,” Miami International Airport said. “If you’re flying today, please check with your airline for your flight status before leaving for the airport. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
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