The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an order Friday grounding departing aircraft across the United States due to “extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns,” following reports of serious problems with air traffic control communication systems.
The decision came shortly after the agency announced a halt to air traffic in Chicago because of communication problems between air traffic controllers and aircraft.
In a statement, the FAA said: “All departing aircraft must remain on the ground until further notice.” The agency added that international flights would be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Transportation Secretary: Communications Failure Affecting Air Traffic Control Centers
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA had ordered a nationwide halt to departing flights at airports across the country because of a communications failure affecting air traffic control centers.
Duffy added that FAA technicians were currently investigating the cause and nature of the problem in preparation for resolving the disruption.
