Communications failure triggers nationwide ground stop in US

Dhaka: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted a nationwide ground stop on November 13 after a communications failure at air traffic control centers disrupted airports across the country.

The shutdown lasted more than four hours, making it the longest nationwide halt since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Over 4,700 flights were canceled, and 10,000 others were delayed on November 13. Another 700 flights were already canceled for November 14. Analysts said it could take airlines several days to restore their schedules.

The Department of Homeland Security said there was no indication that a cyberattack caused the outage.

The incident highlights mounting pressure on the US air traffic control system, which has been grappling with equipment and communications problems, controller shortages, and aging infrastructure.

The only previous nationwide ground stop since the 2001 attacks occurred in January 2023, when the FAA suspended domestic departures for about 90 minutes.