A nationwide ground stop on takeoffs, imposed Friday afternoon by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), halted traffic at all Florida airports. The ban was still in effect Friday evening, and the number of canceled flights continued to grow.
Officials at Miami International Airport (MIA) urged travelers not to come to the terminal until their airline confirms that the flight will operate. On Friday evening, nearly 400 departures were delayed there and 17 were canceled. At Fort Lauderdale (FLL), 335 flights were delayed and 43 were canceled. Planes already in the air are landing normally; only takeoffs are suspended.
At Tampa (TPA) at 6:20 p.m., 189 of 536 scheduled flights were delayed and 58 were canceled. The airport remains open, but the trains that carry passengers to the departure terminals have been halted. At Palm Beach airport, 79 delays and 10 cancellations had been recorded by 5:00 p.m. Passengers are also waiting in terminals in Orlando.
The FAA says the cause was a telecommunications failure at air traffic control centers. Takeoffs are to resume gradually as communications are restored, but no timeline has been given. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said nothing indicates a deliberate attack. More than 5,000 flights have already been canceled across the United States, and airlines are scrapping more from Saturday’s schedule.
Before heading to the airport, travelers should check their flight status with the airline. Airlines are allowing passengers to change bookings free of charge.
Source: Słoneczne Radio
