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The FAA lifted a nationwide flight ground stop after a communications outage disrupted air travel.

The FAA halted departing flights across the United States for several hours on Friday after communications problems affected air traffic control centers. Flights resumed after the order was lifted, but cancellations and delays continued as airlines worked to restore schedules.

What the reports agree on

  • The FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop for departing flights on Friday. Newsweek, The Hill, PBS NewsHour, ABC News and 4 more
  • Officials attributed the disruption to communications or telecommunications problems affecting air traffic control centers. Newsweek, The Hill, PBS NewsHour, ABC News and 4 more
  • FAA technicians investigated the problem. Newsweek, The Hill, PBS NewsHour, ABC News and 4 more
  • The FAA later lifted the ground stop on Friday. Axios, CBS News, The Hill, France24 and 4 more
  • Flight disruptions continued after the stop was lifted. Axios, CBS News, The Hill, France24 and 3 more

Where reports differ

  • CBS News reported about 9,159 cancellations and 7,190 delays on Friday. CBS News
  • France24 reported more than 8,200 canceled flights. France24
  • PBS NewsHour reported more than 4,100 cancellations according to FlightAware and more than 3,200 according to Cirium. PBS NewsHour

Reported by one outlet

  • The FAA reopened U.S. airspace at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The Hill
  • The FBI was investigating whether a faulty software update caused the communications problems. Axios
  • The University of Mississippi's game at Oklahoma was postponed by a day because of travel problems. PBS NewsHour

The original reports

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