La FAA ordena una suspensión nacional de los vuelos debido a “circunstancias extraordinarias y motivos de seguridad”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has ordered a nationwide suspension of flights "due to extraordinary circumstances and for safety reasons" on Friday afternoon, after the agency previously reported serious issues with air traffic control communications. The decree would affect thousands of flights across the country.

"All outgoing flights must remain on the ground until further notice. International arrivals will be handled case by case," reads the FAA alert. The last time a nationwide general flight suspension was declared was in January 2023, following a fault in the pilot notification system. Before that, the last time it happened was after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D. C. "The FAA has declared a national take-off suspension at all U.S. airports due to a communication problem affecting all air traffic control centers," announced US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on X. "FAA technicians are investigating the issue.

We will provide updated information as soon as we have it." EL PAÍS contacted the FAA about the reasons for the suspension and has not received a response yet. Upon the agency's announcement, delays started to be announced at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Passengers lined up at information counters, asking about their luggage and connections.

Airport staff provided brief explanations, stating that all airlines and aircraft were grounded. "I know they have many questions, but I don't have the answers," said an airport employee. "Every airline and every plane is grounded." "No airline, no one, is flying," added another. One passenger waiting patiently at gate C1 is David Tapia.

He arrived in Las Vegas on Tuesday to work at the Latin Grammys ceremony and was heading back to Los Angeles. "Closing airports nationwide is huge, on a Friday, and it's Friday the 13th," he said. In 2023, a software failure paralyzed take-offs at U.S. airports, canceling over a thousand flights and causing dozens of thousands of delays across the country.

That incident left the Aircraft Message Notification (AMN) system inoperable, which alerts pilots and other flight personnel about hazards on the route or changes in airport services or procedures. Breaking news, more updates to follow.