THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UNITED STATES - The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop for departing flights Friday, Nov. 13, following a communication issue affecting air traffic control centers across the country.
The FAA issued the order "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety," according to NBC News.
The FAA's ground stop order runs through at least 11 p.m. Friday.
The alert instructed that "all departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice."
The FAA said inbound international flights would be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the ground stop was prompted by a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.
"FAA technicians are investigating the issue," Duffy said, adding that updates would be provided as the investigation continues.
Nationwide ground stops are rare, according to NBC News.
In January 2023, the FAA temporarily halted domestic flight departures following a failure of its Notice to Air Missions system, which provides pilots with information about potential hazards.
A nationwide ground stop was also ordered following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when civilian air traffic was halted and planes already in the air were directed to land.
