FAA Lifts Ground Stop After Tech Failure Halts US Flights
A technology failure forced the FAA to halt all US flights, causing widespread airport chaos domestically and disrupting transatlantic departures from Europe.
The Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop Saturday after a technology failure brought US air travel to a standstill, triggering cascading delays at airports across the country and abroad. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged that a technical breakdown was responsible for the unprecedented system-wide shutdown, though federal officials offered few specifics on the root cause.
The disruption extended well beyond US borders. All transatlantic flights bound for the United States from European airports were suspended until 5 a.m. UTC Saturday, according to a notice issued by Eurocontrol, the European air traffic control agency. The suspension affected departures across 42 member countries, including all 27 European Union nations, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Israel.
Read more Ofwat to Tighten Water Bonus Ban After Firms Skirt Rules →
The ground stop represented one of the most sweeping interruptions to US aviation in recent memory, grounding aircraft regardless of airline or destination and leaving travelers stranded at terminals nationwide. The FAA's decision to halt all departures simultaneously underscored the severity of the underlying technical problem, which officials have yet to fully characterize publicly.
While the ground stop has since been lifted, airport congestion and cascading schedule disruptions were expected to persist for hours as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews. Passengers were advised to check with their carriers for updated flight information as operations gradually resumed.
Continue reading at Business | The Guardian
