Thousands Of Flights Canceled Saturday After Nationwide FAA Ground Stop

Thousands of flights were canceled across the United States Saturday as airlines struggled to recover from a nationwide ground stop that halted air travel for more than four hours on Friday.

More than 3,800 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled Saturday morning, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Another count showed nearly 11,200 delays, with both totals expected to rise throughout the day.

The disruptions followed Friday's nationwide shutdown, which began shortly before 4 p.m. ET after a telecommunications failure affected the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control system.

The FAA lifted the ground stop around 8:15 p.m. Friday after testing its systems, but airlines warned that normal operations would take time to restore.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Saturday morning that flights were moving again and passengers could fly safely.

"Operations are slowly returning to normal this morning," Duffy said in a statement posted on X. "Planes are pushing back, taxiing, and taking off, and it is safe to fly."

However, Duffy warned that passengers would continue encountering delays and cancellations as airlines reposition aircraft and flight crews.

"We are in close coordination with the airlines to support the ongoing recovery," he said.

Duffy planned to provide another update during a 10:30 a.m. ET news conference at Department of Transportation headquarters.

Airlines Scramble To Restore Schedules

The disruptions affected major carriers nationwide, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Delta and American each canceled more than 2,200 flights through Saturday, while United canceled about 1,800 and Southwest nearly 1,400, according to Flightradar24 figures reported late Friday by The Washington Post.

Flightradar24 also tracked the nationwide shutdown, reporting that 4,042 aircraft were already airborne and headed to U.S. airports when the FAA issued the order.

Delta said in a Friday night update that departures had resumed but that restoring normal operations would take time, particularly because aircraft and crews were no longer positioned where they were needed.

The airline said it was offering affected passengers flexible rebooking options at no extra cost and would automatically rebook customers whose flights were canceled.

American Airlines said it was prioritizing some international routes and flights to smaller cities to position aircraft and crews.

The carrier also issued a travel alert allowing eligible passengers affected by the ground stop to change their flights without a change fee.

United said operations had resumed but warned of lingering disruptions.

Southwest Airlines warned that passengers could continue experiencing delays and cancellations while it worked to restore its schedule. The airline also announced flexible rebooking options for affected travelers.

International travelers could face disruptions as airlines reorganized their schedules. The United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority warned Saturday that flights to and from the United States could be affected.

What Caused The Nationwide Ground Stop?

Federal officials blamed the shutdown on aging telecommunications equipment used by the nation's air traffic control system.

Duffy said Friday that the system became overloaded during an upgrade involving older analog technology, disrupting communications across air traffic control facilities.

The FAA halted departures nationwide as a precaution. Flights already airborne were generally allowed to continue to their destinations, while international arrivals were handled individually.

The agency said it thoroughly tested its systems before allowing departures to resume.

By Friday night, more than 15,000 flights had been disrupted nationwide, according to AirNav Radar figures reported by The Washington Post. Chicago O'Hare, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, New York, Denver and Los Angeles were among the hardest-hit airports.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Friday that investigators had found no indication of a cyberattack, although the investigation into the equipment failure was continuing.

Duffy called for additional federal investment to modernize the aging air traffic control system, warning that temporary repairs would not adequately address its problems.

What Travelers Should Know

Passengers scheduled to fly Saturday or Sunday should check their flight status directly with their airline before leaving for the airport.

Airlines may also offer flexible rebooking options for affected travelers.

Under federal rules, passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly changed are generally entitled to a refund if they decline the airline's alternative transportation or travel credits.

Travelers can check airport conditions through the FAA's National Airspace System Status website and monitor flight disruptions through FlightAware.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.