FAA orders rare nationwide ground stop at all US airports due to 'extraordinary circumstances'… while White House says 'we're not ruling out anything'

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has halted flight departures across the US following a major communications failure, with no confirmed time for operations to resume. 

The Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) said at 3.54pm ET that the reason for the immediate halting of US flights was: 'Due to extraordinary circumstances for safety reasons.'

The FAA said: 'There has been a temporary telecommunications outage - out of an abundance of caution, all flights have been halted. Every flight has been accounted for, and international flights will be handled on a case-by-case basis.'

While preliminary reports suggest the outage was not caused by a cyberattack, FBI personnel across the country are monitoring the situation, a law enforcement source told CNN.

One possible cause for the massive ground stop reportedly being investigated is a software update gone wrong, leading to the systems outage, according to Bloomberg.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also said there were no signs of foul play.

‘There was no indication as of yet that this was a nefarious attack against us,’ he said, but added, ‘we’re not ruling out anything at this point.’ 

‘I want to make sure we say this again. There’s no reason for the public to be afraid or scared for your loved ones. This isn’t another 9/11. I just can’t repeat that enough,’ Mullin declared.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has halted flight departures across the US following a major communications failure, with no confirmed time for operations to resume. Above is Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)

Flyers were seen waiting at New York's JFK International Airport during the nationwide ground 

The FAA has ordered all departing traffic in the US to remain on the ground until further notice. A notice from federal officials said the ground stop was scheduled to last until at least 11pm.

International flights heading towards the US will be managed on a case-by-case basis until the crisis is over. It is not clear if some flights will have to reroute to destinations outside the US.

The FAA said it is giving airlines up to four hours to file flight plans because of the communications failure affecting air traffic control centers. 

More than 10,000 flights were delayed and another 1,700 were canceled as of 6pm, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking service. 

Air traffic control radar systems and radio frequencies went down simultaneously in multiple locations across the country, an aviation source familiar with the situation told CNN.

Controllers remain in the dark about what caused the failures and the full extent of the disruption, the source added.

Another airline source told CNN that the FAA 'doesn't know yet what is going on. It is affecting different facilities in different ways.

'Ten minutes ago, they were on a crisis call, and there was still no clear answer as to the cause.'

People wait during a nationwide ground stop at Orlando International Airport. More than 10,000 flights have been delayed or cancelled

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the ground stop on X at 4.16pm, saying the order was given ‘following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.’ 

‘FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them,’ he added.

The last time a nationwide ground stop for departing US flights was issued was on January 11, 2023, after a failure in the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system.

Flights were also grounded and US airspace was closed following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

While federal officials have not said a cyberattack was to blame, Anna Giaritelli from the Washington Examiner claimed she spoke to FAA employees who feared the issue may be related to cyberwarfare committed against the US.

International flights heading towards the US will be managed on a case-by-case basis until the crisis is over

Giaritelli posted on X: 'FAA employee tells me: "Being that it is affecting a lot of the country, I'd say it’s a major issue with AI-type implications."'

Congressman Jake Ellzey of Texas pushed back on speculation that the nation's airports were under attack, saying lawmakers had been told the issue was the result of 'equipment failure.'

In a video post on X, Ellzey said: 'We’ve been informed that this is the result of an equipment failure. Please be mindful of rumors and speculation as the situation develops.'

The FAA has ordered all departing traffic in the US to remain on the ground until further notice. Above shows passengers waiting for their luggage at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia

Air traffic control centers across the US are clearing their airspace as they prepare to enter 'ATC Zero,' a rare emergency status that means a facility can no longer safely maintain proper separation between aircraft coming and going from airports.

The status is declared when an air traffic control facility is completely unable to safely provide service due to severe issues like hazardous weather, equipment failure, fires or critical staffing shortages.

A nationwide ATC Zero declaration is extraordinarily rare, having occurred only a handful of times in modern aviation history.

United Airlines flights in the air will continue, but new domestic flights will not depart while the ground stop remains in place.