All Domestic Flight Departures Paused Amid FAA System Outage—Here’s What We Know

Topline

Flights across the United States have been massively disrupted Wednesday morning following a Federal Aviation Administration system outage, with airlines ordered to pause domestic departures as technicians work to fix the issue.

Key Facts

In a notice posted on its website, the FAA said its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system “failed” Wednesday morning.

The NOTAM system relays vital information and notices to pilots and other flight personnel, for example alerting them to potential hazards or changes to airport services.

The agency said it is working to restore the failed system and said it would “provide frequent updates as we make progress.”

The FAA, which did not provide an indication of when the problem will be fixed, said operations across the entire U.S. airspace system are affected, later ordering airlines to pause all domestic departures.

The extent of disruption is not yet clear, though multiple news outlets and carriers report delays or grounded flights.

NBC News, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation, said all U.S. flights had been grounded following the outage.

Big Number

3,578. That’s how many U.S. flights have been delayed within, into or out of the U.S as of early Wednesday morning, according to FlightAware. More than 500 flights have been canceled.

What To Watch For

United Airlines, one of the largest U.S. carriers, said it has “temporarily delayed all domestic flights” following the incident and will issue an update once it has learnt more from the FAA. Airports, such as Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, have also advised passengers to expect delays and to check their flight status before traveling. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the agency is “working to resolve this issue swiftly and safely so that air traffic can resume normal operations.”

Crucial Quote

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation and has ordered a “full investigation into the causes” of the FAA system outage. There is “no evidence of a cyberattack at this point,” Jean-Pierre added.

Further Reading

Flights across the U.S. affected after FAA experiences computer outage (NBC News)