Washington: A major disruption hit the US aviation sector on Friday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly imposed a nationwide ground stop, temporarily suspending flights due to a serious communication failure at regional air traffic control centres.

According to an FAA notice, the nationwide ground stop was implemented under safety protocols and “extraordinary circumstances.” The disruption reportedly affected airports across the country, leaving thousands of passengers facing delays and uncertainty.

The incident is being described as one of the rare occasions in US aviation history when flights across the country have been halted simultaneously, following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the January 2023 computer system outage.

Hundreds of Flights Diverted Following FAA Order

The sudden suspension reportedly had a significant impact on airlines, airports and passengers.

According to aviation analytics company Cirium, at least 600 flights were reportedly diverted shortly after the FAA issued its order.

Of these, 496 aircraft were reportedly returned to their departure airports, while 104 were redirected to alternative airports and landed safely.

Chicago O'Hare, Denver International, Dallas-Fort Worth and Ronald Reagan Washington National airports were among those reportedly experiencing significant disruptions.

By Friday evening, approximately 11,000 scheduled flights were expected to operate across the United States, potentially affecting more than 1.5 million passengers.

Communication Failure at 22 Air Traffic Control Centres

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reportedly said the disruption involved communication lines connecting 22 regional air traffic control centres across the country.

FAA experts and engineers were working continuously to identify the cause of the failure and restore normal operations.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reportedly addressed the situation at the White House, stating that there was no evidence suggesting a malicious or terrorist attack.

According to officials, the incident appeared primarily to involve a major telecommunications outage.

Authorities also assured passengers that aviation safety remained the priority.

Ageing Infrastructure Raises Concerns

Aviation experts and former pilots have reportedly raised concerns about the ageing infrastructure of the US air traffic control system.

Aviation expert Steve Arayao reportedly explained that when regional control centres lose the ability to maintain reliable communication with aircraft in the air, grounding flights becomes a necessary safety measure to prevent potential collisions and other aviation emergencies.

The disruption has also renewed concerns about the modernisation of America's air traffic control infrastructure.

The US Congress had reportedly approved $12.5 billion recently to upgrade ageing systems, replace copper wiring with optical fibre and install new radio equipment.

However, the Transportation Department reportedly estimates that more than $30 billion in additional funding may be required to complete the modernisation programme.

Thousands of Passengers Face Travel Chaos

The nationwide ground stop reportedly triggered confusion and overcrowding at airports across the United States.

Thousands of passengers travelling for weekend holidays, weddings and family visits were left stranded at airport terminals.

Airlines and airport authorities faced mounting pressure as travellers waited for updates on their flights.

Officials reportedly indicated that regular flight operations would resume only after communication systems were confirmed to be fully safe and stable.

No definite timeline for the complete restoration of normal flight operations had been announced at the time of the report.