US flight ground stop causes disruption for UK travellers

Summarised from 3 outlets · 9 reports · Updated 14 Nov, 08:56 · Archive

All US flights were grounded due to a communications issue affecting air traffic control centres.

All flights across the United States were grounded due to a communications issue affecting multiple air traffic control centres. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed the ground stop 'due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety'. US transport secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the nationwide ground stop and said FAA technicians were investigating the issue.

Inbound international flights were to be allowed to land on a case-by-case basis, with officials planning a priority list for incoming aircraft. US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin sought to reassure the public that all flights were accounted for and there was no indication the outage was an attack on the United States.

Passengers flying to and from UK airports faced significant disruption. Manchester Airport confirmed that three Virgin Atlantic flights scheduled to depart for the US on Saturday morning were likely to be affected. Virgin Atlantic advised customers to check flight status on its website.

This was only the second nationwide flight ground stop in the United States since the September 11 attacks in 2001. The previous occasion was in January 2023 when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. A transatlantic flight from London Heathrow to New York's JFK was cancelled as a result of the outage.

How it is being reported

• Travel disruption eases following US air traffic control problemsThe US Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights across America for several hours on Friday.Express & Star · 14 Nov, 08:36
• Delays and cancellations after US travel turbulenceThe US Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights across America for several hours on Friday.Express & Star · 14 Nov, 08:00
• Possible disruption expected for UK travellers after flights grounded across USThe US Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights across America for several hours on Friday.Express & Star · 14 Nov, 07:16
• UK airports face major delays after ‘extraordinary circumstances’ in USThe FAA had grounded all flights nationwide on Friday afternoon, causing hundreds of flights to be diverted.Express & Star · 14 Nov, 06:55
• UK airports face major delays after ‘extraordinary circumstances’ in USThe FAA had grounded all flights nationwide on Friday afternoon, causing hundreds of flights to be diverted.Birmingham World · 14 Nov, 06:55
• US authorities say flight departures can resume following nationwide ground stopThe FAA had grounded all flights nationwide on Friday afternoon, causing hundreds of flights to be diverted.Express & Star · 14 Nov, 03:09
• UK airports impacted after FAA outage grounds flights in USPassengers flying to and from UK airports are likely to face disruption after flights were grounded across the United States due to a US FAA outage affecting British Airways and Virgin AtlanticBirminghamLive · 14 Nov, 01:07
• All US flights grounded as Homeland Security Secretary issues statementThe FAA notice said the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety”BirminghamLive · 13 Nov, 22:21
• Flights halted at US airports amid air traffic control communications problemsThis is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023 when a key Federal Aviation Administration computer system malfunctioned.Express & Star · 13 Nov, 21:38

In this story: FAA · US Homeland Security · Sean Duffy · Markwayne Mullin · Manchester Airport · Virgin Atlantic · United States

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log