As of 3:30 Friday afternoon the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a nationwide ground stop for flights across the United States citing “extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns” related to an air traffic control issue.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the ground stop followed a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
“FAA technicians are investigating the issue,” Duffy said in a post on X. He said the agency would provide updates as they become available.
AP.com is reporting Duffy said there is a communications issue at 22 regional air traffic control centers that direct planes en route between airports nationwide.
The advisory took effect at 3:54 p.m. ET on Friday, and is scheduled through 11:30 p.m. ET, though flights are ordered to remain grounded until further official notice, the notice says.
Flights currently airborne are allowed to continue, while international flights heading to the U.S. are being handled on a case-by-case basis, FAA officials said.
AP.com said The FAA has been working to overhaul outdated technology that air traffic controllers use on since Congress approved $12.5 billion for the project last year. Miles of old copper wires have been replaced with fiber optic lines and old radio systems are gradually being replaced at airports across the country.
This is only the second time since the September 11, 2001, attacks a nationwide ground stop this large has been ordered, a number of published reports are noting
Updates to this story are expected.