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The FAA ordered flights across the United States to be grounded due to air traffic control communications failures. Officials said there was no sign of malicious attacks so far. More than 440 flights were canceled and 9,000 flights were delayed. Airlines made emergency arrangements.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the suspension of flights across the United States on the afternoon of the 13th due to disruption of air traffic control communications, citing special circumstances and security reasons. The FAA said planes already in the air can still fly to their destinations, while international flights to the United States will be regulated on a case-by-case basis.
The Wall Street Journal reported that US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullinwhite House He told reporters, “There was no indication beforehand and there is still no indication that this was a malicious attack against us. At present, it appears that it was a telecommunications disruption.” When asked whether it could be a cyber attack, he said that officials have not ruled out any possibility.
“There is no reason for people to be afraid or concerned about their safety or the safety of their loved ones,” Mullin said. He stressed that this was not “another 9/11.”
CNN reported that an aviation industry source familiar with the situation for air traffic control personnel said the failure caused air traffic control radar and radio communications to be disrupted at the same time. Air traffic control personnel still do not know the cause and actual situation. Another airline source told CNN that the FAA “still doesn’t know exactly what happened, and the impact varies from facility to facility.”
The airline source said: “Ten minutes ago, they were making a distress response call and they still couldn’t clearly identify the cause.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that the order to suspend flights across the United States took effect at 3:53 pm Eastern time on the 13th. The FAA issued an alert on the flight status webpage that day: “Based on special circumstances and safety considerations, all aircraft operators are notified that all airports have suspended flight departures in accordance with FAA Command Center orders.”
According to flight tracking website FlightAware, as of 5 p.m. Eastern time on the 13th, more than 440 flights in the United States were canceled and 9,000 flights were delayed. Passengers said on social media that some taxiing planes were asked to return to the gate, passengers were disembarked and crew members informed them that delays could last several hours. Other passengers said they were stuck on the plane because there was a rush of passengers at the boarding gate.
It is the second time in recent years the FAA has ordered the suspension of flights across the United States. In 2023, the FAA’s flight announcement system, which provides vital information to pilots, malfunctioned. As a result, officials ordered flights across the United States to suspend takeoffs for two hours, which was also a reason for the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights. Previously, the FAA had only taken this measure on September 11, 2001.
United Airlines said it is responding to the grounding order and will help passengers reach their destinations once the issue is resolved. American Airlines said that depending on how long the grounding order lasts, the remaining daytime flights are expected to be affected, and said in a statement: “After the FAA lifts the grounding order, American Airlines will mobilize all manpower to allow passengers to continue their travels as soon as possible.”
Summary FAQ
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The FAA reported that due to the disruption in air traffic control communications and for safety reasons, it ordered all airports to suspend flight departures; Flights already in the air can continue, and international incoming flights will be controlled as per the situation.
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The Secretary of Homeland Security stated that there were no signs of a malicious attack, past or present, and the initial determination was that it was more like a telecommunications disruption; However, authorities have not ruled out any possibility and the investigation is still ongoing.
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By 5 p.m. Eastern time on the 13th, more than 440 flights were canceled across the United States and 9,000 flights were delayed. Some planes have been forced to return to the boarding gate. The airline also said that all flights later that day would be affected.
