US Flight Operations Begin to Resume After Nationwide Air Traffic Control Disruption
According to the US Transportation Secretary, excessive data traffic caused critical switches and routers to shut down, disrupting the country's aviation communications infrastructure.
Flight operations across the United States have begun to resume after a major technical failure disrupted air traffic control systems, affecting more than 13,000 flights and leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the lifting of a nationwide ground stop, allowing flight operations to gradually restart. However, authorities warned that restoring normal air traffic services could take considerable time.
The disruption, which occurred on Friday, affected communications and air traffic control capabilities across the country, forcing aviation authorities to temporarily suspend flight departures at US airports.
According to the US Transportation Secretary, excessive data traffic caused critical switches and routers to shut down, disrupting the country’s aviation communications infrastructure.
The technical failure reportedly affected 22 air traffic control centres, while FAA specialists launched an investigation to determine the full extent of the malfunction.
The Secretary of Homeland Security ruled out any connection to Microsoft and said there was no evidence of a cyberattack.
Officials also clarified that not all telecommunications and radar services had been suspended during the ground stop.
Despite the resumption of operations, authorities warned that thousands of passengers could be forced to spend the night at airports as airlines work to clear flight backlogs.
The FAA said incoming international flights would be assessed individually as the aviation system gradually returns to normal.
US Transportation Secretary Seeks $50 Billion for Air Traffic Control Upgrade
Following the disruption, the US Transportation Secretary called on Congress to provide emergency funding to modernise the country’s ageing air traffic control infrastructure.
The secretary said approximately $50 billion would be required to upgrade the system and improve its reliability.
According to officials, unstable communications infrastructure prompted authorities to temporarily shut down air traffic control operations as a precautionary measure.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the resilience of the US aviation network and its ability to manage large volumes of air traffic.
Although the nationwide ground stop has been lifted, aviation officials warned that the effects of the disruption could continue as airlines and airports work to restore regular schedules.
