The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop Tuesday due to equipment issues hitting air traffic control, disrupting or canceling at least 7,000 flights. The outage affects all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, with departures halted until 11:30 p.m. ET for safety reasons
On Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop affecting all airports due to equipment issues affecting air traffic control. Reuters reports that at least 7,000 flights in the US have either been halted or cancelled due to the outage. Some carriers may suspend operations for the rest of Friday if services cannot resume soon....
US Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement on X that the issue is impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. The FAA issued an advisory at 3:54pm ET saying that all departures from US airports will remain stalled till 11:30pm ET. The advisory, issued via the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), cited "extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns" behind the outage. The notice did not specify the circumstances behind the order or provide details about when normal flight operations would resume.
Domestic flights that are arriving at US airports are being allowed to land. International flights have been handled on a case-by-case basis.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: US flight delays cross 10,000 as cancellations top 4,200
FlightAware recorded 10,079 US-related delays and 4,238 cancellations by 7:30 pm ET amid the nationwide FAA ground stop.
The figures were significantly higher than Thursday's 6,800 delays and 1,024 cancellations, and Wednesday's 3,424 delays and 99 cancellations.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Trump says nationwide flight halt does not appear linked to cyberattack or AI
President Donald Trump said the nationwide flight disruption does not appear to be connected to a cyberattack or artificial intelligence.
He made the remarks during an interview with Fox News, as authorities continue to examine the cause of the FAA communication failure.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: SpaceX launches Starship rocket despite nationwide flight restrictions
SpaceX was able to launch its 15th uncrewed Starship mission from Texas because flight restrictions around the launch site were already in place before the FAA imposed the nationwide ground stop.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the airspace along the rocket's path had been cleared in advance.
The mission reached orbit, but SpaceX abandoned plans to bring the booster back to the launch pad, with the booster instead splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Flight cancellations cross 2,400 as numbers rise rapidly
More than 2,400 flights had been canceled across the US by 7 p.m. ET, and the number was “rising rapidly,” FlightRadar24 spokesperson Ian Petchenik said, according to Reuters. The cancellations came as the nationwide FAA ground stop continued to disrupt air travel.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Microsoft says no indication its services are linked to nationwide outage
Microsoft has said it has found no evidence connecting the FAA's nationwide ground stop to any of its services.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: San Francisco airport clears Hawaii and Asia-bound flights for takeoff
San Francisco International Airport has confirmed that Pacific-bound flights, including services to Hawaii and destinations across Asia, have received clearance to depart.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: College football teams return to campus as airport shutdown could last 8 more hours
Several college football teams have headed back to their campuses after airport staff warned administrators that the nationwide FAA ground stop could continue for another eight hours, On3 reported.
The disruption could further complicate travel plans for teams scheduled to play this weekend.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: FBI examines possible software update link to nationwide outage
The FBI is investigating whether a software update may have triggered the communication failure behind the nationwide FAA ground stop, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Investigators do not currently believe the disruption was caused by a cyberattack or criminal activity, the person said.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Eurocontrol suspends US-bound departures across 42 member states
Eurocontrol has halted all US-bound flight departures from its 42 member states following a request from the FAA, according to an update on the European air traffic management body's website.
Israel is among the member states affected.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Senate Commerce Committee to review FAA communication technology issues
Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, said the panel would examine technology problems involving aircraft communication systems.
“Technology issues related to how planes communicate through primary frequencies, backup frequencies, and other issues will be something the Commerce Committee will be reviewing,” Cantwell said. She added that her team was in contact with the FAA and monitoring the situation.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Some US airlines may suspend operations for rest of Friday, official says
Some US airlines could shut down operations for the remainder of Friday if flight services do not resume soon, airline officials told Reuters.
The warning highlights the potential for prolonged disruption as carriers continue to deal with the nationwide ground stop and uncertainty over when normal operations can resume.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Atlanta departure delays reach 150 minutes as some Boston overseas flights depart
Departure delays at Atlanta's airport have reached an average of 150 minutes and continue to increase amid the nationwide ground stop, according to the FAA website.
At Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport, most flights displayed on terminal screens were delayed, with passengers advised to check with airlines for updated timings.
Meanwhile, Boston Logan International Airport said on X that the FAA was permitting some transatlantic flights to depart.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Student pilot lands plane alone after seeking help from air traffic control
A student pilot was left to land an aircraft alone during Friday's nationwide ground stop, with air traffic control audio capturing the tense exchange.
“I don’t know what to do,” the pilot told controllers at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport. Controllers advised the student to land and asked where they wanted to go.
The aircraft touched down a few minutes later at Hicks Airfield, around 15 miles northwest of Fort Worth, according to FlightAware.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: 600 flights diverted across US airports, Cirium data shows
Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that 600 flights had been diverted across the US as of 5:50 pm ET on Friday, according to Reuters.
Of these, 496 flights, or 82.7%, returned to their departure airports, while 104 landed elsewhere.
Chicago O'Hare received the highest number of diverted flights at 28, followed by Denver with 26 and Dallas/Fort Worth with 19.
Cirium also estimated that more than 1.5 million passengers were scheduled to depart from US airports after 4 pm ET.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: JetBlue warns passengers of evening delays and cancellations
JetBlue warned customers scheduled to travel this evening to expect delays and cancellations as the nationwide ground stop continues.
The airline said it had temporarily halted all departures, while flights already airborne were continuing to their destinations.
“Safety remains our top priority, and we are working closely with the FAA as we monitor the situation,” JetBlue said.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Trump briefed as top aides monitor nationwide flight disruption
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were at the White House on Friday as officials sought answers about the nationwide ground stop.
Mullin confirmed that President Donald Trump had been briefed on the disruption and had spoken with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Hegseth was in the Situation Room, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN. Meanwhile, Trump continued posting about other issues on Truth Social.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Departures to resume gradually as air traffic facilities recover
The FAA said flights would be permitted to take off as air traffic control facilities recover, even as the nationwide ground stop remains in effect.
The agency added that departures would be coordinated through its Air Traffic Control System Command Center, indicating a gradual resumption of operations as affected facilities return to service.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Nationwide shutdown exceeds duration of 2023 disruption
The ongoing nationwide ground stop has lasted longer than the FAA's 2023 shutdown, which remained in effect for approximately 95 minutes.
According to FAA statements, the earlier disruption began around 7:15 am ET and was lifted by 8:50 am ET. Friday's ground stop took effect at 3:54 pm ET and had already crossed that duration by 5:30 pm ET, with restrictions still in place.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Airline stocks fall as nationwide disruption rattles investors
Shares of major US airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, declined between 1% and 2% in after-hours trading as investors assessed the potential financial impact of the nationwide flight disruption.
JetBlue shares recorded a steeper decline of 3%, according to Reuters.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Major US airports report prolonged halt in departures
Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported that no flights had departed Chicago O’Hare International Airport for more than two hours amid the nationwide FAA ground stop.
In a post at 5:25 pm ET, the tracker said several other major airports had also recorded no departures since before 4 pm ET. The last recorded takeoffs from New York's JFK and Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport were at 3:35 pm.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Southwest Airlines working with FAA to resolve communication issue
Southwest Airlines told its employees that it is coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration to address the communication problem behind the nationwide ground stop.
According to CNN, in an internal message, the airline said: “We are aware of the current nationwide ground stop and are actively working with the FAA for resolution.”
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Radar and radio frequency outages reported across US, source says
An aviation source familiar with the situation told CNN that the nationwide disruption involves simultaneous outages affecting air traffic control radars and radio frequencies.
The source added that controllers have no clarity on the cause or the exact nature of the technical problems.
The incident recalls the 2025 Newark airport communication failures, when a faulty copper cable triggered radar and communication blackouts, contributing to staffing shortages, flight delays and cancellations.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Related coverage
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FAA ground stop LIVE updates: Airlines for America says safety remains top priority
Airlines for America said it is coordinating closely with the Department of Transportation and the FAA as the nationwide ground stop disrupts air travel. The association urged affected passengers to contact their airlines for real-time updates and thanked travelers for their patience.
FAA ground stop LIVE updates: More than 7000 flights affected across US
More than 7,000 US flights were either halted or cancelled due to the nationwide ground stop imposed b by the FAA on Friday afternoon.
