(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Just before 4 p.m. today, all flights from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and across the United States were grounded until further notice as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop. The stop lifted at 8:15 p.m.
Photo Credit: skyharbor.com / PHX cancelled, delayed, and diverted flights
Over 200 flights and counting have been canceled and over 250 delayed from leaving PHX. The profound impact on travel came as all flights across the United States were grounded due to “extraordinary circumstances and reasons of safety,” as cited by the FAA.
All airports across the country were affected until the lift at 8:15 p.m.
United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin addressed the nation in a press briefing following the cancellation of the stop.
When asked explicitly about the reasoning behind the stop, Secretary Mullin responded “The system went down. We reacted the way we were trained to react.”
Questions arose around newly implemented artificial-intelligence-powered SMART technology (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories) at the briefing, and reporters were curious if there was any correlation with the new tech and the ground stop. Secretary Duffy claimed that there was no known connection.
In response to the disruptions, airline companies alerted customers affected by the order. American Airlines stated that they “are working to get customers on the way as quickly as possible.”
Photo Credit: American Airlines / In-app alert
The last time a full ground stop was ordered was in January of 2023 due to a FAA system outage, and regular operations resumed within a few hours. The last prior similar incident occurred on September 11, 2001 upon the devastating attacks.
To add or correct any information to this report, please contact me at madeleine.b@lead4earth.org.
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