Madison, Wis. – The FAA’s nationwide ground stop, which began Friday and lasted over four hours, officially ended Friday evening, but many travelers at Dane County Regional Airport are still dealing with canceled flights and uncertain travel plans.
Passengers left in limbo
Alexis Sundman and Milana Mikhailus, coworkers returning to New York after a work trip, were among those caught in the fallout. Sundman first learned of the disruption when her mother called after seeing reports of the shutdown. She immediately tried to rebook, only to see each new flight canceled the next day.
“But then that got canceled. And then the next flight got canceled the next day because I was supposed to fly in the morning,” Sundman said. “And then they rebooked me on the afternoon flight. And then that got canceled.”
By Saturday evening, Sundman said she had checked other airlines but could not find a flight home that night. “So, I’m just here now. I have to try again tomorrow,” she added.
Widespread cancellations
Flight‑tracking site FlightAware reported more than 6,000 U.S. flights canceled on Saturday as airlines worked to recover from the shutdown. Federal officials said the ground stop was prompted by intermittent problems with communications and radar systems used by air traffic controllers. Homeland Security officials noted there was no indication the outage resulted from a cyberattack or other national‑security threat.
While flights resumed Friday evening, airlines faced the challenge of repositioning aircraft and crews after the massive schedule disruption.
FAA outlook
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters Saturday that he expects the nation’s air‑travel schedule to return to normal by the end of Sunday, though additional delays and cancellations may continue.
Making the most of extra time
Rather than spend another idle day at the airport, Mikhailus explored Madison, visiting a museum and noting the city’s charm. “I was like, okay, fine. I’m staying here anyway, so I have to do something,” she said. “I realized it’s such a nice city.”
Both women hope to be back in New York on Sunday. Sundman urged fellow passengers to be patient with airline staff, reminding them that the employees are also navigating a difficult situation.
Travelers planning to fly Sunday are encouraged to check directly with their airlines for updated departure times and potential cancellations before heading to the airport.
Original reporting: NBC15 WMTV (Gray) – local — read the source article.
