The Federal Aviation Administration's nationwide ground stop, which halted all U.S. departures for several hours on Friday, has been officially lifted. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the news during a press conference at the White House, stating that the airspace reopened at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time.
Speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room shortly after the restart, Duffy acknowledged that while the stoppage is over, the system will not immediately bounce back. "It will take a long time for traffic to return to normal levels," he said, echoing a cautionary note from air traffic tracker Flightradar, which posted on social platform X that the return to normal operations would be gradual.
The ground stop, which began around 4 p.m., was prompted by a nationwide communication failure within the FAA's systems. The disruption raised fresh concerns about the resilience of the nation's air traffic control infrastructure, especially as the agency continues to face scrutiny over aging technology and staffing shortages.
Earlier in the day, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Senator Markwayne Mullin had been scheduled to brief the press on the incident, underscoring the seriousness of the failure. The episode also drew sharp criticism from lawmakers, including Representative Garcia, who called the ground stop "disturbing" and demanded greater transparency from the FAA about the root cause and the steps being taken to prevent a recurrence.
The timing of the disruption added to its impact, as it coincided with a busy travel day and stranded numerous college football teams that were scheduled to fly to weekend games. That ripple effect highlighted how a single infrastructure failure can cascade across multiple sectors, from sports to business travel.
As the FAA works to restore normal operations, questions are mounting about the agency's ability to modernize its systems. The incident is likely to intensify debates over funding and oversight, particularly as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle call for accountability. For now, travelers are being advised to check with airlines for potential delays and cancellations as the system gradually recovers.
This story is developing and will be updated with additional reporting.
