Warwick residents and travelers at T.F. Green International Airport experienced a sudden disruption on Friday when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a nationwide ground stop. The FAA cited a communication issue affecting air traffic control frequencies as the reason for the halt, according to a statement released by the Rhode Island Airport Corporation and reported by turnto10.com.
All departing flights from the airport were stopped, and passengers were instructed to check directly with their airlines for updated information. The airport’s announcement warned that “all departures are halted at this time,” and urged travelers to verify the status of their flights.
Confusion spread quickly through the terminal. NBC 10’s Maddie Heimsch, cited by turnto10.com, described passengers and airport workers alike unsure of the next steps. Two travelers heading to Baltimore reported that they were removed from their plane and told by an airline employee that it could be “at least seven hours” before their flight would depart. Those passengers also expressed uncertainty about retrieving their luggage and finding alternative transportation.
Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin addressed the incident, stating there was no indication of a malicious attack. “It’s just a telecommunications outage,” he said, adding that “everybody’s safe” and there was “no reason to be concerned about your loved ones if they’re flying.”
Boston Logan International Airport, which was also affected by the nationwide ground stop, reported that a limited number of international flights were still taking off. The airport encouraged passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight information, a message echoed by Logan’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Airlines operating out of T.F. Green have begun re‑booking affected passengers on later flights where possible, but the extent of the delays remains uncertain. Travelers were advised to monitor airline communications and airport announcements throughout the day.
Local officials emphasized that the ground stop was a safety measure triggered by the FAA’s detection of a frequency issue, not a security threat. The FAA is working to resolve the communications problem, and officials expect normal operations to resume once the issue is cleared.
What’s next: Passengers should continue to check with their airlines for updated departure times and follow any instructions from airport staff. The FAA has not provided a specific timeline for lifting the ground stop, but it indicated that normal flight operations will resume once the communication issue is resolved. Travelers planning future trips from T.F. Green are encouraged to stay informed through airline notifications and airport alerts.
Sources: turnto10.com
