Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon, forcing all departing flights at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to remain on the tarmac. The order, described as an “extraordinary circumstance” for public safety, also affected Long Beach Airport, John Wayne Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport.
Local airports respond
LAX posted a statement urging passengers to anticipate delays and to check with their airlines for the latest flight status. Similar advisories were released by Long Beach, John Wayne and Hollywood Burbank airports, with the latter announcing the FAA order over its public address system.
Reason for the halt
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin explained that the grounding stemmed from a telecommunications outage that disrupted critical communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. While the exact cause of the outage remains under investigation, Mullin emphasized that the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution” to ensure the safety of all travelers.
“Everybody is safe. Flights are accounted for,” Mullin said. “There should be no fear for the public at all.” He added that once the grounded aircraft are safely on the ground, it may take “some time” before normal operations resume.
State officials monitor the situation
California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement confirming that state authorities are closely monitoring the FAA ground stop and are prepared to assist as needed. The governor’s office has not indicated any additional state-level actions beyond coordination with federal agencies.
Historical context
The last nationwide ground stop of this magnitude occurred after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when all civilian air traffic in U.S. airspace was halted and airborne planes were ordered to land at the nearest available airports. A more recent nationwide grounding took place in January 2023 when the FAA shut down flights due to a failure in the Notice to Air Missions system, which alerts pilots to potential hazards.
Impact on travelers
Passengers at the affected airports are advised to remain patient, stay near their gates, and follow airline instructions. Airlines are working to rebook passengers on later flights once the FAA lifts the ground stop. Travelers should continue to monitor airline communications and airport signage for updates.
While the disruption is inconvenient, officials stress that the precautionary measure reflects a commitment to safety and the integrity of the national air transportation system.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
