A nationwide US Airport Ground Stop caused major travel disruption on Friday, leaving thousands of passengers waiting at airports across the country. Many flights were delayed or cancelled after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a temporary halt to air travel. The decision affected passengers, airline crews and sports teams preparing to travel for weekend events.
At John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, passengers faced sudden changes to their travel plans. Some had already boarded their planes when airline staff announced the shutdown. Others waited at departure gates without clear information about when they could leave.
Steve Honberger was travelling home to Portland, Oregon, with his wife and daughter. His plane was preparing to take off when the ground stop began. He said the aircraft remained at the gate for one hour and 40 minutes.
Passengers were unsure how long they would need to wait. The crew eventually allowed them to leave the plane. Honberger and his family then decided to change their booking.
Other travellers remained hopeful that their flights would operate later in the evening. Rashid Kahn was heading to Miami after hearing about the shutdown. He said his airline had suggested that the flight might depart around 10 or 11pm.
Kahn said he was still hopeful about reaching his destination. He also made a light-hearted comment about the date, noting that the disruption happened on Friday the 13th.
The shutdown also affected people travelling with animals. Tom Rolenaitis was taking a Shiba Inu show dog named Tsuki back to Finland. He said the delay was frustrating because it was affecting a three-day trip. He also needed to return the dog to its owner.
Airline workers faced uncertainty as well. A flight attendant travelling to Barcelona said he had been told that his American Airlines flight would face a short delay. He also said incoming international flights were still allowed to land.
Another crew member remained positive and hoped normal operations would return soon.
As the day continued, some international passengers began boarding their flights. Applause broke out at several gates as travellers received signs that operations were moving again. An airline representative said international flights were progressing, while domestic services remained affected.
The FAA issued the nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon. An official notice cited communication problems at regional air traffic control centres. The issue disrupted flight operations and led to delays across the national air travel system.
About four hours later, the FAA issued another advisory lifting the nationwide restriction. However, the decision did not bring an immediate return to normal operations. Airlines still had to deal with cancelled flights, delayed aircraft and passengers waiting for new travel details.
Laura, a New York resident travelling to San Francisco, said her JetBlue flight had been grounded. She accepted that the situation was difficult but hoped to continue her journey once services resumed.
For other passengers, the lifting of the restriction created more confusion. Larson Welsh was travelling from Paris to Las Vegas. He said his flight was first cancelled. A self-service kiosk later showed a new departure time of 3am, but airline staff could not provide clear information.
The disruption affected thousands of travellers across the country. FlightAware reported 10,343 delays involving flights within, into or out of the US. It also recorded 1,479 cancellations. Flightradar24 reported that more than 1,000 aircraft were heading towards the US when the ground stop was announced.
The event also affected professional and college sports. NBA, NHL and college teams faced travel problems as they tried to reach their destinations before weekend games. There were also concerns about referees who usually travel one day before their scheduled matches.
Nationwide flight restrictions are rare in the US. Similar nationwide ground stops were issued after the September 11, 2001 attacks and in January 2023, when a major communication failure affected the aviation system.
Back at JFK airport, many passengers were still trying to find new flights and accommodation. Some missed important family plans, while others had to arrange hotel stays.
Honberger said he and his family felt fortunate because they had managed to book a hotel for the night. Other passengers faced longer waits and uncertain travel plans.
The FAA’s decision to lift the restriction allowed flights to begin moving again. However, the disruption showed how a technical problem in air traffic control can affect thousands of journeys across the country.
