The US Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights nationwide after a "communication issue" affected traffic control centers, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. FAA technicians were investigating the problem. Around 7,000 flights were delayed or canceled as a result of the stoppage, according to FlightAware. The FAA did not provide a timeline for lifting the ground stop.
This marked the first nationwide US ground stop since January 2023, when an FAA computer system malfunctioned. The disruption follows a pattern of strain on the air traffic control system, which has experienced equipment failures, communications problems and controller shortages as the FAA works to replace aging infrastructure. Congress approved $12.5bn for the overhaul last year, and the FAA and White House requested an additional $30.1bn from lawmakers on Friday.