Summary FAA orders nationwide US flight ground stop over telecommunications outage, disrupting departures as Homeland Security Secretary reassures passengers about safety.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday issued a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights, citing “extraordinary circumstances and reasons for safety.”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin sought to reassure the public, saying all flights were accounted for and there was no reason for people to be afraid. He said there was no indication that the disruption was the result of a deliberate attack, describing the incident as a telecommunications outage.
Under the FAA order, aircraft already in the air were permitted to land, while planes on the ground were prohibited from taking off. International flights were to be handled on a case-by-case basis.
The nationwide suspension followed an earlier halt to air traffic in Chicago due to communications problems. The disruption raised concerns across the US aviation sector, affecting flight operations and passengers at airports nationwide.
Friday's action marked the second time since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that authorities had ordered a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights. Authorities have not indicated that the telecommunications outage was caused by a deliberate attack, while flight operations remain subject to the FAA's safety directives.
