FAA lifts nationwide ground stop of planes at US airports, major delays to continue
A nationwide ground stop across the United States has been lifted more than four hours after the Federal Aviation Administration stopped all flights due to telecommunication issues that impacted air traffic control facilities.
Planes departing again from major US airports after nationwide FAA shutdown
Flights began taking off at major airports across the United States late Friday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted its nationwide ground stop, offering relief to travelers stranded for hours by the widespread disruption.
Fox News reported that a Southwest Airlines plane departed from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, while two Delta Air Lines planes were seen taxiing in preparation for takeoff.
On the West Coast, planes were also seen taking off from Los Angeles International Airport.
Fox News senior national correspondent Kevin Corke reported from Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., that multiple flights had begun departing after passengers spent hours waiting for service to resume.
Corke said some travelers had been at the airport since approximately 3:30 p.m., waiting for flights scheduled to depart around 4 p.m.
“Finally, a couple of flights have left, and those are domestic flights,” Corke reported.
Corke also reported that some international flights had begun departing, while airports in the San Francisco Bay Area were seeing similar progress with flights headed across the Pacific.
“This idea that we’re finally getting some international flights and a trickle of domestic flights — that, my friend, is great news,” Corke said.
American Airlines prioritizes key routes as flights resume after FAA shutdown
American Airlines resumed some flights Friday evening following the FAA’s nationwide ground stop, saying it would prioritize flights to non-hub cities and international destinations.
“With the FAA’s five-hour nationwide ground stop lifted, American Airlines is focused on operating as many remaining flights as possible this evening while positioning the airline for the strongest possible recovery tomorrow and in the days ahead,” the airline said in a statement.
American Airlines said it was “prioritizing flights to non-hub cities, as well as international flying, to position aircraft and crew where they are needed to help restore our operation.”
“We expect residual delays and cancellations tonight and into tomorrow following the FAA’s nationwide ground stop,” the airline said.
The airline encouraged customers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
American Airlines also said impacted passengers could request refunds.
Southwest Airlines resumes flights after nationwide FAA ground stop
Southwest Airlines announced shortly before 11 p.m. ET Friday that it was resuming a limited number of flights for the remainder of the evening.
“After consulting with the FAA and to ensure the highest levels of safety, Southwest Airlines is resuming a limited number of flights this evening,” the airline said in a statement.
“These actions will help position our operation for Saturday morning, with schedules adjusted based on the location and availability of our Crews and our aircraft,” the statement continued.
The airline announced a travel waiver allowing passengers to cancel or rebook their flights without paying fees.
“We remain in contact with the FAA and will continue to adjust our plans as needed,” Southwest added. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
The announcement followed the FAA’s decision to lift its nationwide ground stop earlier Friday evening.
Aviation Safety Caucus chairman calls for FAA overhaul after nationwide shutdown
Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., chairman of the Aviation Safety Caucus, said Friday’s nationwide ground stop underscored the need to modernize the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) aging infrastructure.
“This latest disruption underscores why we can no longer afford to put that work off. Modernizing our air traffic control system comes at a significant cost, but the cost of continued failure is far too high,” Langworthy said in a statement.
“While I am relieved by reports that public safety was not compromised, the disruption caused enormous inconvenience, stress for travelers and their families, and a yet-to be-determined economic impact,” he continued. “Americans deserve a system they can depend on.”
Following the lifting of the ground stop Friday evening, Langworthy called for “full transparency” from the FAA regarding what caused the shutdown, saying the public “deserves answers and a clear plan to prevent this from happening again.”
Securing additional funding to modernize the system should not be a partisan issue, Langworthy argued.
“Congress must come together to make that funding a reality and ensure our air traffic control system has the modern equipment and reliable backup systems it needs,” he said, adding that Americans “cannot afford continued delays in getting this done.”
FAA shutdown forces NTSB to change investigation plans for New Orleans river collision
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Friday that lingering flight disruptions from the nationwide FAA ground stop prevented it from sending a board member by plane to investigate a collision between a tanker and a river cruise vessel in New Orleans.
The NTSB said earlier Friday that it was dispatching a team of investigators to examine the collision, with personnel initially expected to arrive Saturday morning.
Despite the FAA lifting its nationwide ground stop Friday evening, the NTSB said it would no longer send a board member by plane.
“Due to the residual delays from the nationwide ground stop, the NTSB will no longer send a board member and will instead send a team of investigators by ground to the scene of the vessel collision in New Orleans,” the agency wrote on X.
Several airlines have warned that disruptions could continue as they work to restore normal operations.
United Airlines begins restoring service after nationwide FAA shutdown
United Airlines announced shortly before 10 p.m. ET Friday that it was resuming some flight operations after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted its nationwide ground stop.
“United is resuming operations, including some Friday night flights,” the airline said in a statement.
“Safety is our highest priority as we take care of our customers and employees,” the statement continued. “Thank you for your patience as we work to restore our full schedule.”
The airline urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
United also said passengers could rebook their flights without paying change fees or fare differences.
Fox News anchor, longtime pilot warns FAA shutdown could disrupt flights for days
Fox News anchor and longtime pilot Jon Scott warned Friday that it could take several days for U.S. air travel to return to normal following the nationwide FAA ground stop.
“The good news is this ground stop has been lifted. The bad news is it’s not going to be fixed tomorrow,” Scott said during an appearance on “Hannity.”
Scott, who said he has been a pilot for more than 30 years, explained that displaced aircraft, pilot scheduling restrictions and aging air traffic control technology could prolong disruptions.
“It’s going to take probably at least three days to get the air traffic control system back online,” Scott said.
Pilots who were diverted or delayed may reach federally mandated duty limits, preventing them from immediately operating additional flights, Scott added.
Scott also noted that aircraft technology has advanced much faster than the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure, saying some control towers still use floppy disks.
He said the shutdown highlighted how outdated the nation’s air traffic control system has become.
“The aircraft have advanced much faster than the air traffic control system,” Scott said.
FAA says systems stable after nationwide ground stop, flights begin resuming
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Friday evening that it had thoroughly tested its systems before lifting the nationwide ground stop.
“The safety of the flying public is always the FAA’s highest priority,” the agency said in a statement.
“The FAA lifted the ground stop and some flight departures are resuming,” the statement continued. “Before clearing flights to resume, we thoroughly tested our systems to confirm they were stable and that operations remain reliable.”
The FAA urged passengers to contact their airlines for flight updates.
The agency lifted the nationwide ground stop at 8:15 p.m. ET Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced.
Duffy said radar and communications systems began experiencing instability at FAA facilities across the country at 3:36 p.m. ET, prompting the agency to halt departures out of an abundance of caution.
Mexico announces resumption of US-bound flights after FAA ground stop lifted
Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) announced Friday that flights to the United States are resuming following the FAA’s decision to lift its nationwide ground stop.
In a statement posted on X, the agency said the FAA notified Mexican authorities at 7:44 p.m. local time that U.S. air operations had resumed.
AFAC said flights from Mexico to U.S. destinations are expected to resume gradually over the coming hours.
Airlines will notify passengers of updated departure times, while Mexican airports remain prepared to receive aircraft arriving from the United States, the agency said.
MIT expert warns flight disruptions could last days after FAA ground stop
Travel disruptions could last for days after the FAA’s nationwide ground stop, an MIT aviation expert warned, comparing the fallout to “a major snowstorm at every airport in the country at the same time.”
John Hansman, an aeronautics professor and director of MIT’s International Center for Air Transportation, told “Jesse Watters Primetime” that restoring communications would not immediately restore normal flight schedules.
“You still now have all this pent-up demand of all these airplanes that are in the wrong place, passengers, et cetera,” Hansman said.
He explained that flights would likely be released gradually as operations resume, prolonging the disruption.
Asked whether a hypothetical flight departing the New York area Saturday morning would take off, Hansman replied, “I wouldn’t count on it.”
Hansman said backup equipment and procedures help aircraft already airborne land safely. He cautioned that he did not have direct insight into the outage’s cause.
Former FAA official says backup systems keep flights safe amid outages
Former FAA Deputy Administrator Daniel Elwell said communications outages can create a “logistical headache” for air traffic controllers, but backup procedures help keep aircraft safe.
“It’s not that fragile,” Elwell said of the system on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show.” “We have so many contingencies and there are so many layers.”
Elwell explained that an outage at a terminal radar approach control facility, known as a TRACON, can affect aircraft arriving at or departing a major airport, along with flights planning to pass through the affected area.
“It’s a logistical headache for air traffic control, but it’s not unsafe,” he said. “We have contingencies in place to take care of these things.”
Delta resumes flights after FAA lifts nationwide ground stop
Delta Air Lines announced Friday that it has begun resuming flights following the FAA’s decision to lift its nationwide ground stop.
The airline warned that returning to normal operations will take time as it works to reposition aircraft and crews following the disruption.
“While flights have started departing, it will take time to reset our operation, including the positioning of aircraft and crews,” Delta said in an update on its website.
Delta is offering customers flexible options to change their flights at no additional cost and said passengers whose flights are canceled will automatically be rebooked on the next available itinerary.
The airline said disruptions may continue as it works to restore normal operations. Passengers are advised to check the Delta app or website for updated flight information.
Air Canada cancels all US flights for rest of evening amid FAA ground stop
Air Canada has canceled all flights to and from the United States for the remainder of Friday evening as the FAA’s nationwide ground stop disrupts air travel.
The airline announced the cancellations on X, warning that flights between Canada, the Caribbean and South America that pass through U.S. airspace could also be affected.
At LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, American Airlines employees told Fox News that no American flights had departed the airport yet.
Southwest employees at the terminal said they expected all flights to be canceled, although departure boards still listed some delayed flights for late departures. Those expectations had not been confirmed in an official airline announcement.
Duffy details timeline of FAA outage that triggered nationwide ground stop
The FAA lifted its nationwide ground stop at 8:15 p.m. ET Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced.
Duffy said telecommunications issues began at FAA facilities and terminal radar approach control facilities across the country at 3:36 p.m. ET, prompting the agency to halt departures out of an abundance of caution.
More than 3,500 planes were airborne when the ground stop was issued. Pilots and air traffic controllers followed established procedures to land aircraft safely, reducing the number in the airspace to fewer than 400 by 8 p.m. ET, he said.
“The FAA confirms they did not lose all radar or telecom,” Duffy wrote on X.
Exceptions allowed critical medical evacuation, lifesaving cargo and law enforcement flights to continue operating during the ground stop, he said.
Duffy calls for $50B in emergency funding to overhaul aging FAA system
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged Congress Friday to provide $50 billion in emergency funding to modernize the nation’s aging air traffic control system following the nationwide ground stop.
Speaking at a White House briefing, Duffy blamed outdated switches and routers for the communications and radar instability that disrupted air travel, arguing that piecemeal repairs were no longer sufficient.
“This is an emergency. This is an emergency. I want Congress to give us emergency funding. This is bipartisan. This is American. I want $50 billion,” Duffy said.
Duffy said the Trump administration has already secured $12.5 billion toward modernization efforts but needs additional funding to complete the overhaul.
Senator calls FAA ground stop a ‘wake-up call,’ demands infrastructure overhaul
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called the nationwide ground stop a “wake-up call” and urged Congress to act immediately to upgrade aging air traffic control technology and airport infrastructure.
“This is a huge public safety and national security issue,” Schmitt wrote on X. “This problem has been decades in the making.”
Schmitt called on the Senate and House to pass the Modern Skies Act through a reconciliation bill before the end of the current Congress.
“We should have a sense of urgency about this. No more kicking the can down the road. No more passing the buck,” he wrote.
“The greatest country in the history of the world should have world-class technology and airport infrastructure.”
FAA ground stop sparks scrutiny on Capitol Hill over oversight, safeguards
The nationwide FAA ground stop is raising questions on Capitol Hill about whether oversight failures or inadequate safeguards contributed to the disruption.
Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reported on “Special Report” that lawmakers are examining what went wrong, with Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., both issuing statements calling for answers.
Pergram said a senior source initially told him the disruption was limited to the Northeast, extending south to Richmond, despite public notices describing a nationwide ground stop.
Other sources indicated they could examine whether the problem originated in the Northeast before spreading, or whether officials initially misunderstood its scope.
“Was there some sort of fail-safe?” Pergram asked, outlining the questions lawmakers could pursue.
He said the congressional inquiry could extend into the new year, comparing the potential scrutiny to the
DHS Secretary Mullin says no flights were at risk during FAA ground stop
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reassured travelers Friday evening that the FAA’s nationwide ground stop did not put passengers or aircraft in danger.
Speaking during a White House briefing, Mullin said the FAA handled the communications disruption and issued the ground stop out of an abundance of caution.
“The public was never at danger through this process. there was there was never any lives at risk. There was no flights at risk. FAA was able to handle it. We did it out of an abundance of caution,” Mullin said.
Mullin also sought to reassure Americans amid online speculation surrounding the outage.
“All your loved ones are safe. we are working to resolve the issue, and, we hope to have operations up and going normal at some point,” he said.
FAA lifts nationwide ground stop following communications outage
The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted its nationwide ground stop after communications problems disrupted air traffic operations across the United States on Friday.
The agency issued an official advisory canceling the nationwide order early Saturday, allowing departures to resume.
The ground stop was initially issued Friday because of communications issues affecting multiple air traffic control centers.
Airlines may continue to experience delays as flight schedules recover from the disruption.
NBA, NHL teams scramble as FAA ground stop disrupts weekend travel
Millions of people across the nation are trying to figure out how to get from A to B in the wake of a nationwide FAA ground stop — and that includes some professional teams.
The travel interruption comes on the eve of a full college football slate and as NFL teams prepare to travel for Sunday’s games.
Additionally, both the NHL and NBA have had teams impacted by the stoppage.
According to The Associated Press, the Brooklyn Nets were trying to get from New Orleans to Memphis when their flight was halted. Coincidentally, the Memphis Grizzlies are also in New Orleans for a Friday night game against the Pelicans.
Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks’ flight to Utah for a Saturday night game against the Mammoth did not get out in time.
This is an excerpt from OutKick’s Matt Reigle’s report.