Washington DC: Thousands of flights across the United States were disrupted after a technical failure in the country’s air traffic control system forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily ground flights. Although the nationwide ground stop was later lifted, flight operations continued to face delays as airlines worked to restore normal schedules.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the disruption affected 22 air traffic control centres and lasted several hours. He added that the federal government had identified the problem and that the system was currently operational.
Speaking at a White House briefing, Duffy said the disruption began at around 3:36 pm local time on Friday, when radar and communication systems at air traffic control centres and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities became unstable.
More than 3,500 aircraft were in the air when the technical issue emerged. Air traffic controllers and pilots followed established safety procedures to ensure that aircraft landed safely. Emergency medical and law enforcement flights were also allowed to continue operating.
Why Were Flights Grounded Across The US?
Duffy initially pointed to ageing switches and routers used to exchange telecommunications data as the source of the disruption. He said excessive data pressure had overloaded routers, resulting in inconsistencies in the information they transmitted.
The authorities decided to shut down the affected system as a precaution and subsequently reduced the pressure on the network before bringing the affected centres back online.
However, Duffy cautioned against drawing a final conclusion about the cause while the investigation remained underway. He also rejected suggestions that the disruption had been triggered by FAA software patching work.
The transportation secretary acknowledged that the US continues to rely on an ageing air traffic control infrastructure. He said some routers had been replaced, but older hardware remained vulnerable to technical failures.
Sean Duffy Seeks $50 Billion To Modernise Air Traffic Control System
Duffy called for an additional $50 billion to modernise the country’s air traffic control infrastructure, arguing that a complete overhaul would require substantial investment.
He said Congress had already approved $12.5 billion for the modernisation effort, but further funding would be necessary to complete the transformation. The additional $50 billion, however, remains a proposal and has not yet been approved by Congress.
Duffy warned that replacing the outdated technology would take time and that similar technical failures could remain a risk while older equipment continued to be used.
He expressed hope that flight operations would return to normal before the busy Thanksgiving travel season. He also advised passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest updates, warning that some travellers might have to wait until the following day to reach their destinations because of crew and aircraft availability.
US Rules Out Cyberattack, Microsoft Outage Link
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the nationwide flight disruption was not caused by a cyberattack and was unrelated to the recent Microsoft service outage.
He also maintained that public safety had not been at risk during the incident. His remarks came shortly after the FAA announced that the nationwide ground stop had been lifted.
Despite the resumption of flights, airlines continued working to clear the backlog and restore regular operations. Passengers were advised to remain in contact with their respective carriers as delays and cancellations continued to affect travel plans.
