FAA issues nationwide ground stop, affecting Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports
CHICAGO – The Federal Aviation Administration halted departures at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports Friday afternoon as part of a nationwide ground stop after a communications issue affected all U.S. Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
Nationwide ground stop issued
What we know:
The FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center cited “extraordinary circumstances” and safety concerns in an advisory issued shortly before 3 p.m. Central Time. It ordered departing flights to remain on the ground until further notice and said incoming international flights would be handled case by case.
What we don’t know:
Details on why the ground stops were issued haven’t been released. The FAA did post an advisory online but have since removed it.
Travelers at Chicago’s sprawling O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, USA. (Photo by: John Lazenby/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
How O’Hare and Midway were affected
Local perspective:
Before the nationwide order, the FAA had already issued separate ground stops for flights headed to O’Hare and Midway, citing an equipment outage. Those restrictions took effect at 2:10 p.m. for O’Hare and 2:17 p.m. for Midway and were initially scheduled through 3:30 p.m.
At O’Hare, the FAA reported that delays for flights departing the airport averaged 45 minutes and were increasing as of 3 p.m.
What travelers should check
What you can do:
Travelers flying through O’Hare or Midway should check directly with their airline for the latest flight information.
The Source: he information in this report came from FAA advisories and airport status updates, as well as a statement from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
