Washington announced a nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon after a communications failure hit the 22 regional air traffic control centers that guide planes across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration said the action was taken “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”
Local impact on Chicago airports
At Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, flights were delayed an average of 47 minutes by 4 p.m., while Midway Airport saw average delays of 64 minutes. A total of 20 flights were canceled across the two airports.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the issue stemmed from a telecommunications outage affecting the regional centers. He added that FAA technicians are actively investigating the problem. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin noted there is no indication the outage was a malicious attack.
Federal response and funding
The government has been working to modernize the aging air‑traffic control infrastructure. Congress approved $12.5 billion last year for upgrades, replacing miles of copper wire with fiber‑optic lines and updating outdated radio systems. Secretary Duffy warned that an additional $30 billion will be needed to complete the overhaul, and the White House is lobbying Congress for the funds.
Travel advice for Chicago residents
Chicago travelers should also anticipate possible delays getting to the airports this weekend, as the CTA’s Blue Line will undergo track work that may disrupt service in some areas. Riders are advised to allow extra travel time.
The last nationwide ground stop occurred in January 2023 after a critical FAA computer system malfunction, and before that following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
