Thousands of flights canceled, delayed as US air travel slowly recovers from historic nationwide ground stop
The FAA issued the ground stop at 4 p.m., with 3,500 flights in the air. The aviation administration said it issued the ground stop "due to intermittent telecommunications outages."
Thousands of flights still canceled as US air travel reels from historic nationwide ground stop
Thousands of flights were already canceled across the country early Saturday, as airports and airlines try to get back on track following Friday's more than four-hour-long nationwide ground stop — the longest such U.S. airspace ground stop since 9/11.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Thousands of flights were canceled early Saturday in the wake of Friday's historic nationwide ground stop.
- The FAA said it issued the ground stop "due to intermittent telecommunications outages."
- All told, more than 9,100 flights were canceled and more than 24,500 were delayed Friday, according to FlightAware.
Thousands of flights were already canceled across the country early Saturday as airports and airlines worked to get back on track following Friday’s nationwide ground stop, which lasted more than four hours — the longest such shutdown of U.S. airspace since 9/11.
More than 3,000 flights were canceled early Saturday, according to aviation-tracking company FlightAware.com.
The FAA issued the ground stop at 4 p.m., with 3,500 flights in the air. The aviation administration said it issued the ground stop "due to intermittent telecommunications outages."
"At 3:36 p.m., we experienced instability for our radar and our communications and our centers and our TRACONs across the country," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, referring to air traffic control facilities that guide planes arriving at and departing airports.
After more than four hours, the Federal Aviation Administration lifted the nationwide ground stop at all airports in the U.S.
A ground stop completely halts arriving traffic at their departure airport for the entire duration of the ground stop.
About an hour after the ground stop went into effect, some flights were being allowed to land.
Airports across America fill with stranded travelers amid nationwide ground stop
FOX News Multimedia Reporter Chelsea Torres reports live from Charlotte Douglas International Airport amid a nationwide ground stop. With thousands of flight delays and cancellations across the U.S., travelers are settling in as they wait for departures to resume.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said that there was no indication of a nefarious attack on the ground stop, and a telecommunication outage was the cause.
"This isn't another 9/11," Mullin said. "There is no reason for the public to be afraid or scared for your loved ones."
Mullin said communication was being overwhelmed at certain levels, but all communication hadn't ceased.
He said they "just can't rule anything out at this point," surrounding the reason for the telecommunication problem.
AIRPORT GROUND STOPS VS. GROUND DELAYS: WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO THEY HAPPEN?
Airports began issuing statements as thousands of flights were canceled or delayed. 387 commercial flights were in the air after the ground stop was lifted at 8:00 p.m.
All told, more than 9,100 flights were canceled and more than 24,500 were delayed Friday, according to FlightAware.
The last time a nationwide ground stop was ordered was on Jan. 11, 2023 due to an issue with the Notice to Air Mission Systems, and lasted about an hour and a half.
Friday’s incident marks the second-longest nationwide ground stop in U.S. history, surpassed only by the roughly two-day shutdown following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Second longest nationwide ground stop on record causes more than 10,000 flights to be delayed
FOX News Multimedia Reporter Asher Redd is live at Nashville International Airport with the latest on the nationwide ground stop, the second longest U.S. ground stop on record.
Stranded passengers across the U.S. are turning to alternatives to flying amid the ongoing nationwide ground stop, with Amtrak reporting higher-than-normal call volumes.
This is a breaking news story. FOX Weather will continue to bring you the latest information as it becomes available.