INTERNATIONAL DESK — The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights after serious communications problems disrupted the country’s air traffic control system. The FAA cited “extraordinary circumstances” and safety concerns for the decision, preventing aircraft on the ground from taking off across the United States.
Planes already airborne were allowed to continue to their destinations and land normally. International departures were being handled on a case-by-case basis, according to Reuters. The nationwide order followed an earlier halt to air traffic in Chicago linked to communications problems.
Communications Problems Hit US Air Traffic Control The disruption affected communications involving the 22 regional air traffic control centers responsible for directing aircraft traveling between airports across the country. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said technicians were investigating the problem. The incident represents one of the most significant disruptions to US aviation in years.