A ground stop at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) caused by a regional FAA equipment outage has been lifted, with flights resuming but delays expected through the evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the ground stop at around 2pm local time on Thursday, halting departures and allowing only limited arrivals. The Metropolitan Airports Commission confirmed the outage was regional in nature.
The stop was initially extended to 4.15pm local time, and the FAA indicated a 30% to 60% probability of further extension. However, by around 4pm, planes began departing again, and MSP later confirmed the issue was resolved.
Impact on Flights
Flights bound for MSP from several Midwestern states, including Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, were held or diverted during the outage. A FOX 9 photographer reported multiple aircraft stationary on the tarmac.
The airport advised passengers to check with their airlines for the latest flight information, warning that some delays and impacts would continue as airlines recover their schedules.
What is a Ground Stop?
A ground stop is an air traffic management measure used by the FAA to temporarily prevent aircraft from departing for a particular airport, typically due to safety issues, severe weather, equipment failure, or other problems limiting safe operations.
Aircraft already landed can usually disembark passengers, while departing flights may be held at the gate. Ground stops can last from minutes to hours, and delays often persist after the restriction is lifted as schedules recover.
