FAA ends hours-long nationwide ground stop
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Illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios
The FAA lifted its nationwide ground stop Friday night after hours of chaos and thousands of delays and cancellations.
Why it matters: The effects of the rare and extreme move will likely ripple through the weekend, with travelers stranded and airlines' planes and crews out of position.
Catch up quick: The FAA issued the nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon due to "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety."
- "The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers," the agency said in an earlier statement after the ground stop was issued.
- "FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide updates."
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters at the White House Friday evening that there was no indication of a "nefarious attack" on aviation systems.
- The FBI is probing whether the problems were caused by a software update gone bad, Bloomberg reports.
How it works: Air Route Traffic Control Centers, often simply called "centers," mostly handle high-altitude en route airspace between airports.
Between the lines: The FAA has been rolling out a new AI tool designed to help manage airspace congestion, but it's unclear if that system has any connection to Friday's communication issues.
- The developer of that tool denied any connection.
💠Our thought bubble, from Axios aviation expert and pilot Alex Fitzpatrick: With no planes departing anywhere, airports nationwide may quickly run out of gates and room for the thousands of flights navigating the crisis while already airborne.
By the numbers: As of 7:15 p.m. ET, FlightAware reported more than 10,000 domestic delays and 4,000 cancellations over the course of the day Friday.
The bottom line: It's likely going to be a messy night — and the effects could easily spill over into the weekend.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
