Overview
- The FAA first halted departures in Chicago and on Friday expanded the order so all U.S. departing flights must remain on the ground until further notice for safety reasons.
- Flight tracking services reported about 7,000 U.S. flights delayed or canceled and roughly 3,100 aircraft were en route to U.S. airports when the ground stop took effect.
- Officials described the problem as a serial loss of radio frequencies tied to the FAA’s communications infrastructure, and some control facilities briefly entered an ATC Zero condition where they could not provide services.
- The Transportation Secretary said FAA technical specialists are probing the failure and law-enforcement sources told reporters that initial assessments do not indicate a cyberattack.
- Airports and airlines face crowded ramps and diversion challenges that could prolong travel disruption, and the incident has revived scrutiny of aging ATC facilities and recent funding for upgrades.