US air travel issues to persist well into Sunday, officials say, with thousands of flights affected
The problem was traced to FAA contractor L3Harris' installation of at least one new router at a remote facility.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that US air travel issues will persist well into Sunday, with thousands of flights still affected. The problem originated from an installation error by FAA contractor L3Harris, involving the introduction of at least one new router at a remote facility. The FAA's chief, Bryan Bedford, estimated normal schedules would return by late Sunday.
Over 6,150 US flights were cancelled on Saturday, with more than 7,300 delayed, according to FlightAware. Friday saw about 9,200 flights cancelled and 7,500 delayed after a nationwide ground stop due to disrupted air traffic communications. The incident prompted the White House to hold an emergency meeting and federal agencies to investigate potential cyberattacks.
L3Harris expressed concern and is assisting the FAA's investigation. The issue arose on Friday afternoon when air traffic control centers experienced instability in radar and communications systems, leading to data overloads and disruptions. The FAA lifted the ground stop on Friday evening, but tens of thousands of people remained stranded in airports, and airlines offered travel waivers for rebooking without cost.
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