The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop Friday, grounding all flights in the United States until further notice because of what the agency called “extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the disruption is a telecommunications outage. “There’s no reason for the public to be afraid.”
More than 7,000 flights cancelled or delayed.
An FAA spokesperson said the cause was not immediately clear. The agency linked the halt to a communications problem affecting Air Route Traffic Control Centers, the facilities that manage aircraft flying across the country.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the order in a social media post, saying the FAA issued the ground stop “following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.” Duffy said FAA technicians are investigating and that the agency will provide updates as they become available.
The advisory directed that all departing traffic remain on the ground until further notice. Inbound international flights are to be managed on a case-by-case basis, according to the FAA. Aircraft already airborne have been allowed to continue to their destinations.
The National Weather Service is experiencing nationwide internet and communications issues that are leaving webpage and radar products inaccessible or outdated.
This is a developing story.