KATHMANDU, Nov 14: The United States has ordered a nationwide ground stop on all departing flights following a telecommunications outage that disrupted air traffic operations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the rare directive on Friday (local time) after a technical problem involving network routers disrupted communications systems, according to CNN, citing an airline source familiar with the matter.
The problem is believed to have originated at Chicago Midway International Airport before cascading across the country, prompting federal authorities to halt departures over safety concerns.
The disruption has triggered widespread flight delays and cancellations, with airports reporting growing congestion as aircraft already in the air continued to land but could not depart. Major airlines could suspend operations for the remainder of Friday evening if the outage continues, an airline source told CNN.
Number of air passengers and flights take a nosedive after air...
-1200x560_20230115125633.jpg)
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said authorities had no clear timeline for resolving the problem and warned that restoring normal operations could take an extended period.
Mullin said the ground stop was not triggered by any threat to the United States and was unrelated to a major Microsoft outage earlier this week.
Preliminary assessments by US law enforcement agencies also indicate that the incident was not a cyberattack, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources.
A senior US security source told CNN that multiple law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and National Security Agency, had joined the investigation. Authorities have so far found no indication of a deliberate attack, although cybersecurity specialists are continuing to examine possible vulnerabilities in aviation networks.
The disruption has caused considerable uncertainty for travellers, with passengers at major airports, including Miami, Chicago O'Hare and Newark, scrambling to find alternative arrangements. Some passengers have opted to rent cars and drive to their destinations, while others remain stranded awaiting updates from airlines.
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines said flights within Alaska and Hawaii, as well as certain Pacific-bound services, were not affected by the nationwide restriction. However, the airlines warned that normal operations could take time to resume even after the ground stop is lifted.
The disruption could also affect sporting events scheduled for Saturday, with several college football teams reportedly facing travel difficulties. Five NBA games and 14 NHL games are also scheduled for Saturday.
Airports have advised passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight information before travelling.
