US orders nationwide ground stop for all departing flights over safety concerns
“The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday issued a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights, citing “extraordinary circumstances and reasons for safety.”Homeland Security Secretar…”
He said there was no indication that the disruption was the result of a deliberate attack, describing the incident as a telecommunications outage. Under the FAA order, aircraft already in the air were permitted to land, while planes on the ground were prohibited from taking off.
International flights were to be handled on a case-by-case basis. The nationwide suspension followed an earlier halt to air traffic in Chicago due to communications problems. The disruption raised concerns across the US aviation sector, affecting flight operations and passengers at airports nationwide.
Friday's action marked the second time since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that authorities had ordered a nationwide ground stop for all departing flights. Authorities have not indicated that the telecommunications outage was caused by a deliberate attack, while flight operations remain subject to the FAA's safety directives.
Written by Sheheryar Munawar
Aman-e-Pakistan Senior Journalist & Bureau Reporter
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