Thousands of flights canceled as airlines work to dig out from nationwide ground stop
Summary
More than 2,000 flights were canceled across the U.S. after a nationwide ground stop caused by air traffic control system failures. Officials say the disruption could affect travel for days, though the system is expected to recover before the Thanksgiving rush.
Key Points
- More than 2,000 flights were canceled Saturday after the longest nationwide ground stop in 25 years disrupted U.S. air travel.
- Officials said new technology overwhelmed aging air traffic control equipment, causing intermittent communications and radar gaps.
- The FAA said the system should be back to normal before the Thanksgiving travel rush, but delays may continue for days.
- Sports teams and stranded passengers scrambled for buses, hotels and alternate flights as airports faced widespread disruption.
