A nationwide US ground stop lasting more than four hours cancelled over 2,500 flights on Saturday and left airlines struggling to restore normal operations after communications and radar problems disrupted air traffic control across the country.
The stoppage, described as the longest nationwide ground stop in 25 years, began after officials reported intermittent gaps in communication and radar systems. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the disruption was linked to the interaction between new technology being added to the air traffic control network and ageing legacy equipment. The shutdown was not linked to the Federal Aviation Administration’s new artificial-intelligence system, he said.
A limited number of domestic flights resumed after the ground stop was lifted at about 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday. However, airlines continued to face cancellations and delays the following day as they attempted to reposition aircraft, rebook passengers and clear accumulated disruption. Flight-tracking website FlightAware recorded more than 2,500 cancellations in the United States on Saturday, along with hundreds of delays.
The disruption stranded passengers at airports across the country. Travellers reported waiting for hours on aircraft or in terminals, while others searched for buses, trains, hotels and alternative flights. At Dallas Love Field, Southwest Airlines staff told passengers that flights were full and asked them to keep boarding passes ready to speed up departures. At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a passenger travelling home to Illinois said he spent four hours on the tarmac before paying $100 for an Uber to a nearby hotel after failing to find another flight.
The effects also reached international airports. Several flights connecting the United States with London Heathrow were listed as delayed or cancelled, including services operated by American Airlines, British Airways, Delta and United Airlines. Tim Johnson, consumer director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said follow-on disruption could continue while airlines rebook affected passengers and restore services.
The stoppage also affected sports teams travelling for scheduled games. Auburn University’s football team took a bus to Mississippi State, while the start of its game was moved from noon to 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time. Other university teams affected included Baylor, Washington, Kansas State, Minnesota and Ole Miss. Duffy encouraged college football teams to contact the FAA so the agency could prioritise flights for weekend fixtures.
Officials said the ground stop was required to protect aviation safety after controllers could not reliably communicate with pilots across the system. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said more than 3,000 flights landed safely on Friday and that no one was in danger during the stoppage. Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said aircraft had to remain on the ground when reliable communication could not be guaranteed.
The failure has renewed attention on the condition of US air traffic control infrastructure. The FAA has replaced thousands of copper wires with fibre-optic lines and upgraded hundreds of radio systems since an overhaul began last year after Congress approved $12.5 billion in funding. Duffy and White House officials are seeking an additional $30 billion to complete the modernisation programme, while Duffy blamed Congress for delays in approving more funding.
The nationwide stoppage was the first of its kind since January 2023, when a malfunction in an FAA system used to send notices to pilots disrupted flights. It was also the second nationwide shutdown since the September 11, 2001 attacks. Officials said the system was rebooted after the latest failure but warned that further disruptions could occur. Airlines are expected to continue rebooking passengers and restoring schedules before the Thanksgiving travel rush.
