The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a nationwide halt to flight departures Friday after a major communications failure disrupted air traffic control operations across the United States, raising concerns about widespread delays and cancellations.

The unprecedented disruption prompted aviation authorities to instruct airlines and airport operators to keep departing aircraft on the ground until further notice.

The FAA said the decision was taken because of “extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety,” as technicians worked to identify and resolve the communications problems affecting air traffic control centers.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the disruption involved communications systems serving Air Route Traffic Control Centers, which manage aircraft flying between airports across the country.

The FAA said technicians were investigating the problem and that further updates would be provided as information became available.

Under the nationwide order, departing flights were instructed to remain grounded, while international flights arriving in the United States would be handled individually, depending on the circumstances.

The shutdown threatened to disrupt thousands of passengers traveling within the United States and those connecting through American airports to international destinations.

Airports were already reporting significant delays Friday afternoon. According to Business Insider, average delays exceeded 45 minutes at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

At Chicago O’Hare International Airport, delays had reached approximately 75 minutes and were increasing.

The disruption could also have consequences for travelers in Antigua and Barbuda and elsewhere in the Caribbean, particularly those using American airports for connections or traveling on direct services between the region and the United States.

However, there was no immediate confirmation that flights serving Antigua and Barbuda had been canceled or delayed specifically because of the nationwide shutdown.

The incident is one of the most significant disruptions to U.S. air traffic operations in recent years.

A similar nationwide ground stop occurred in January 2023 after a malfunction in an FAA computer system disrupted flight operations.

The latest incident has renewed attention on the reliability of the communications infrastructure supporting the U.S. aviation system.

Authorities had not immediately disclosed the precise technical cause of Friday’s failure or provided a confirmed timetable for restoring normal operations.

Passengers scheduled to travel through U.S. airports were being advised to check directly with their airlines for updates on departure times, cancellations and possible changes to connecting flights.

The situation remains fluid, with the FAA investigating the failure and further announcements expected.

Sources: Federal Aviation Administration, Associated Press, Axios and Business Insider.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: All flights grounded across United States after air traffic control communications failure.