US Nationwide Flight Operations Halted Due to Technical Glitch in Air Traffic Control System
Summary
A technical glitch in the US air traffic control system grounded nationwide flights for more than four hours, disrupting thousands of passengers and delaying or canceling thousands of flights. Services began resuming late Friday, but officials warned that the impact would take days to clear.
Key Points
- The FAA halted all departing US flights for more than four hours after a technical problem hit the air traffic control system.
- More than 8,500 flights were delayed and nearly 8,000 were canceled, stranding thousands of passengers at airports.
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the old communication system was overloaded and needs major modernization, while Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said there was no sign of a cyberattack.
- International flights to the US were also affected, and airlines warned that disruptions could continue into the weekend.
