Nationwide ground stop halts 3,000 flights over U.S. communication failure
FAA attributes the rare suspension to a technical issue affecting air traffic control centers, with arrivals still permitted at major hubs like Hartsfield-Jackson.
By Mariana Flores ·
The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed a nationwide ground stop, suspending departures at airports across the country due to a communication failure. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on social media that a technical issue is impacting all air traffic control centers. The agency stated the halt was necessary for safety reasons arising from these extraordinary circumstances.
Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is among the facilities affected. While the FAA initially listed a departure delay, airport officials confirmed to local media that all outgoing flights are now stopped. Arriving aircraft are still permitted to land, but passengers may face delays if gate assignments are unavailable upon arrival. The FAA is currently investigating the root cause of the disruption.
Flight tracking data from Flight Aware indicates more than 3,000 planes are currently airborne over the United States. These aircraft can descend and land, but deplaning may be slow if jet bridges are occupied by other delayed flights. Travelers are advised to contact their carriers directly for updated schedules and gate information.
Nationwide ground stops are infrequent events in modern aviation history. The previous instance occurred in 2023 when a critical pilot notification system failed. Before that, the last nationwide halt took place on Sept. 11, 2001, following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
The disruption began on Friday afternoon. FAA technicians are working to resolve the communication issue that triggered the alert. No specific timeline for resuming normal operations has been announced as of this update.
