The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a nationwide ground shutdown for all U.S. airports on Friday afternoon, citing “extraordinary circumstances” for safety reasons.
According to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the problem stems from a communications problem affecting “all air traffic control centers” nationwide.
“The @FAAnews has issued a nationwide ground shutdown for all U.S. airports following a communications issue affecting all air traffic control centers,” Duffy posted on Friday afternoon. “FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as soon as we have them.”
Was the FAA hit by a cyberattack?
The cause of the air traffic control communications disruption remains unclear. Federal officials have not yet publicly identified what triggered the problem, and it is unclear whether the incident is related to a cyberattack.
The FAA ordered departing flights to remain grounded until further notice and said it would handle incoming international flights on a case-by-case basis. The agency had already halted traffic in Chicago due to communication problems with air traffic control before issuing the national order.
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