• The FAA has grounded all departing flights across US airports due to unspecified “extraordinary circumstances” and safety concerns. Inbound international flights are being managed on a case-by-case basis, while aircraft already airborne can continue to their destinations.
• Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has reassured the public that everyone is safe, although he warned that resolving the situation will take time. He declined to identify the cause but did not rule out the possibility of AI involvement.
• Airlines are warning of widespread disruption. United Airlines has suspended new domestic departures, while American Airlines expects schedule disruption for the remainder of the day and has mobilised teams to resume operations once the FAA lifts the ground stop.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all flights across US airports on Friday “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”

In an alert, the FAA stated “attention all aircraft operators, by order of the Federal Aviation Command Center, all airports are ground stopped. All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis.”

The Trump administration has stated that it is working to address a “telecommunications outage” but provided limited information on the nature of the disruption.

Speaking to reporters, US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin explained that there should be “no fear” and that “everyone is safe” but that it’s “going to take some time” to resolve it. While he wouldn’t be drawn on the cause, when asked if AI was responsible, he said “you can’t rule [it] out at this point.”

With 28,852 flights scheduled to leave from US airports on 13th November, the issue is expected to have lasting disruption even once the cause is identified and resolved.

United Airlines has stated that new domestic flights will not take off while the ground stop is in effect. However, international departures are being handed on a case by case basis by the FAA.

American Airlines has warned of disruption for the remainder of the day, with the company working “all hands on deck” to resolve the situation. “The FAA has temporarily paused departures nationwide. Flights already in the air can continue to their destinations. We expect disruption to our schedule for the rest of the day, depending on the length of the FAA’s nationwide ground stop. It will be all hands on deck across American to get customers on their way as soon as possible when the FAA lifts this ground stop,” the company said in a statement.

This is a developing story.

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