Summary
The FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday, Nov. 13, because of a communication issue affecting air traffic control centers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said FAA technicians were investigating the problem.Key Facts
- The FAA said the nationwide stop was ordered for safety reasons.
- The communication issue affected all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, according to Sean Duffy.
- Air Route Traffic Control Centers manage flights above 18,000 feet.
- There are 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers in the United States.
- Earlier that afternoon, the FAA ordered ground stops at Chicago O’Hare and Midway airports because of an equipment outage.
- This was the second nationwide ground stop ordered by the FAA since Sept. 11, 2001.
- The previous nationwide ground stop occurred in 2023 after the FAA’s NOTAM system failed, preventing pilots from receiving pre-departure paperwork.
