FAA Grounds All Flights Nationwide Over Communications Trouble

Just a week before we kick off a huge travel season with Thanksgiving week, the Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all flights nationwide because of communications issues at regional air traffic control centers.

The FAA notice on Friday afternoon said the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.” This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023 when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. Before that the last time had been after the Sept. 11, 2011 terrorist attacks.

All planes are stopped at Shreveport Regional Airport and all other airports across the region. Mark Crawford with the airport tells KEEL News:

"We have four departures left today. Two are delayed and two are still showing on time."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there is a communications issue affecting the regional air traffic control centers that direct planes between airports nationwide. He says FAA technicians are investigating what has happened.

This ground stoppage is expected to back up flights across the nation for hours. And there is no word how long this stoppage will last.