The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a nationwide ground stop at all US airports following an air traffic control communication issue affecting every Air Route Traffic Control Center.
The directive suspends all departing flights across the country until further notice, with international arrivals being managed on a case-by-case basis.
Nationwide Ground Stop Announced
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the measure in a statement posted on X, confirming that the FAA issued the ground stop following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
Duffy said: "The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them."
The FAA later issued an instruction to all aircraft operators, directing departing traffic to remain grounded until further notice.
Safety Directive Details
The notice read: "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. All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed on a case-by-case basis."
This marks the first nationwide ground stop in the US since January 2023, when a technical malfunction affecting the FAA's Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system caused widespread disruption.
Technicians Investigating Issue
That earlier breakdown impacted the system responsible for informing pilots of potential dangers and significant operational changes, leading to thousands of flights being delayed or cancelled.
The FAA has confirmed technicians are examining the latest communications problem, with additional updates anticipated as further details emerge.
