US lifts nationwide flight shutdown caused by communications failure
WASHINGTON: The US Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop on Friday after a communications failure at air traffic control centers caused chaos at airports and triggered the longest nationwide shutdown since the September 11, 2001, attacks. More than 4,700 flights were canceled and 10,000 delayed on Friday, while another 700 had already been canceled for Saturday,…
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ended a nationwide ground stop on Friday, following a communications failure at air traffic control centers that caused extensive disruption at airports. This was the longest such shutdown since the September 11, 2001 attacks, resulting in the cancellation of over 4,700 flights and the delay of approximately 10,000 others. Another 700 flights were already canceled for the following day.
Aviation analysts suggested that it might take airlines days to restore their schedules, given the extensive ground stop that lasted more than four hours. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that there were no indications the outage was caused by a cyberattack.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the US air traffic control system, which has been plagued by equipment and communications issues, staff shortages, and aging infrastructure. The previous nationwide ground stop occurred in January 2023, when the FAA halted domestic departures for about 90 minutes.
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