The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a nationwide ground stop, halting all departing flights across the US due to "extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety".
Flights have been suspended at airports throughout the US following an unprecedented nationwide directive from aviation authorities due to air traffic control communication failures.
FAA confirms nationwide ground stop
The FAA has confirmed it instructed all airports across the nation to suspend departing flights owing to "extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety".
The drastic action followed communication failures that impacted all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, with technicians currently working to identify the cause of the disruption.
Transportation Secretary responds
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the nationwide ground stop in a statement posted on X.
He 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."
Instruction to all aircraft operators
The FAA then released an instruction to all aircraft operators, mandating that departing traffic must remain grounded until further instruction.
Its 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."
The directive means aircraft scheduled to leave airports throughout the US are grounded until the restrictions are removed. Meanwhile, international arrivals are being managed on a case-by-case basis.
First nationwide ground stop since 2023
This marks the first nationwide ground stop in the US since January 2023, when a technical malfunction with the FAA's Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system triggered extensive disruption.
That breakdown impacted the system responsible for informing pilots about potential dangers and significant operational changes, leading to thousands of flights being either delayed or cancelled.
The FAA has confirmed that technicians are examining the current communication problem, with additional updates anticipated as further details emerge.
