US air travel disruptions continue into third day

US air travel disruptions persisted into a third day, affecting more than 5,200 flights on Sunday, according to Reuters. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy forecasted a return to normalcy by Monday, even as airlines raced to restore schedules following a systemwide ground stop. Over 1,600 flights nationwide were canceled, and nearly 3,600 were delayed on Sunday, as per aviation data site FlightAware.

Airlines canceled over 6,400 US flights and delayed more than 8,000 on Saturday, before Friday's nationwide ground stop. The FAA blamed a router replacement at an Arkansas facility for overloading air traffic control centers, causing the disruptions. The faulty router, installed by a veteran worker, was later disabled, but the root cause of the issue remains unclear.

The worker was described as a good American patriot, suggesting sabotage was not involved. The cause of the problem is still unknown, with Duffy expressing skepticism about the situation being resolved. The ongoing disruptions highlight the challenges faced by the aging US air traffic control system, which relies on outdated technology and faces a shortage of controllers.

Duffy has called for $50 billion in funding to upgrade the systems, up from his earlier request of $30 billion, as Congress approved $12.5 billion last year. President Donald Trump also called for more funding, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive solution rather than incremental improvements. However, Democrats question the allocation of the recent funds, with only about $11 billion remaining unspent.