BREAKING: FAA issues nationwide ground stop over 'communication issue'
A nationwide ground stop was issued by the FAA for all U.S. airports after a widespread communication issue disrupted air traffic control centers. The event, described as extraordinary and safety-driven, marks only the third such nationwide halt in U.S. history and prompted air traffic officials to slow or halt departures while inbound flights are assessed individually. Investigators, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, are probing the outage and assuring the public that no nefarious attack is suspected at this time. The disruption comes as the agency had been expanding its SMART system, an AI-driven tool intended to forecast traffic flows and optimize routing, highlighting broader automation efforts tied to aviation resilience. Further updates are expected as operations and flight plans are managed under the temporary constraints.
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The FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports due to a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
This marks only the third time a nationwide ground stop has been issued in the United States.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated FAA technicians are investigating and that updates would be provided as they become available.
An FAA advisory instructed all aircraft operators that departing traffic should remain ground stopped and inbound international flights would be managed on a case-by-case basis.
inbound flights in the air were told to expect holding patterns or circling until landings could be accommodated.
The outage occurred shortly after the FAA announced broader use of its SMART system, a $875 million AI tool designed to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts.
Officials stressed there is no known indication of a deliberate attack; the event is described as a telecommunications outage requiring caution and controlled management of arrivals and departures.