Nationwide Ground Stop Hits Air Traffic

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday, grounding all departing aircraft due to extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns.

The order came from the FAA Command Center, which instructed operators to hold all outgoing traffic until further notice. Inbound flights are being handled on a case-by-case basis. The FAA did not immediately release specific details regarding the cause of the halt.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the stoppage to a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. He stated that FAA technicians are currently investigating the fault. The department promised to provide updates as new information becomes available.

The disruption caused immediate delays across the country. The Chicago Department of Aviation reported 213 delays at O'Hare International Airport and 55 at Midway International Airport as of 3:11 p.m. Friday. More than 200 flights were delayed at Chicago's airports during that timeframe.

United Airlines, headquartered in Chicago, confirmed it was managing the ground stop. The carrier stated that flights already airborne would continue to their destinations. New domestic flights will not depart while the restriction remains active. The airline said it would work with passengers to secure travel once the issue is resolved.