Flights were grounded across the U.S. Friday afternoon over suspected air traffic control communications issues.
The FAA issued a highly unusual mass ground stop shortly after 3 p.m.
“Due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety, attention all aircraft operators, by order of the Federal Aviation Command Center all airports are ground stopped,” the agency said in an advisory. “All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis.”
In a separate statement, the FAA said a communications issue affecting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers is to blame. Agency technicians are now investigating the issue.
According to ABC News, this is only the second time since the 9/11 attacks that departures across the country have been stopped. Flights currently in the air are believed to still be in contact with ATC.
National media outlets showed footage of commercial airplanes queued up but not moving at numerous major airports, including Los Angeles, Boston, Reagan National, New York-LaGuardia, Houston Bush, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Raleigh–Durham.
The ground stop will almost certainly cause a cascade of cancellations and delays lasting into the weekend.
