Ground stop lifted for all domestic flights following FAA computer outage
TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — The ground stop for all domestic flights has been lifted following a computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Airlines were ordered around 6:15 a.m. to pause all domestic departures until 8 a.m. as the agency worked to restore what's known as the Notice to Air Missions System.
The pause allowed the agency to "validate the integrity of flight and safety information," officials said.
NOTAMs used to be available through a hotline but that was phased out with the internet. The alerts span from mundane information about construction at airports to word about urgent flight restrictions or broken equipment.
At around 6 a.m., there were more than 1,100 delays within, into or out of the United States, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.com.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted that he's been in touch with the FAA about the outage:
The agency said it would provide frequent updates as it made progress.
Fort Worth-based American Airlines has since released the following statement:
The Federal Aviation Administration is experiencing an outage with its NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) system, which provides critical flight safety operational information. We are closely monitoring the situation, which impacts all airlines, and working with the FAA to minimize disruption to our operation and customers. We encourage customers to check aa.com for the latest flight information.
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines also made a statement:
The FAA has notified airlines that the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system is not functioning, and a nationwide ground stop of air traffic is in effect. As a result, Southwest anticipates some schedule adjustments as we await resolution of the issue by the FAA and a lifting of the ground stop.
We encourage Southwest Customers to check their flight status at Southwest.com or via our mobile app. Additionally, we've posted a Travel Advisory on our website to offer Customers information regarding flexible rebooking options.
