Flights halted at airports across US due to air traffic control communications problems

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights nationwide Friday afternoon because of communications problems at regional air traffic control centers. The FAA notice said the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.” kAm%C2?DA@CE2E:@? $64C6E2CJ $62? sF77J D2:5 E96C6 :D 2 4@>>F?:42E:@?D :DDF6 27764E:?8 E96 aa C68:@?2= 2:C EC277:4 4@?EC@= 46?E6CD E92E 5:C64E A=2?6D 6? C@FE6 36EH66? 2:CA@CED ?2E:@?H:56] w6 D2:5 upp E649?:4:2?D 2C6 :?G6DE:82E:?8] %9:D :D E96 7:CDE ?2E:@?H:56 8C@F?5 DE@A D:?46 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D4:6?46\7656C2=\2G:2E:@?\25>:?:DEC2E:@?\3FD:?6DD\h6aff53fd`b_44f6c5c3e4e2f35225f4Qmy2?F2CJ a_abk^2m[ H96? 2 <6J upp 4@>AFE6C DJDE6> >2=7F?4E:@?65] q67@C6 E92E E96 =2DE E:>6 925 366? 27E6C E96 $6AE] ``[ a__`[ 2EE246=2?5 $64FC:EJ |2C>F?:42E:@?D @FE286]Qk^Am kAm“tG6CJ3@5JVD D276] %96C6VD ?@ C62D@? E@ 36 4@?46C?65 23@FE J@FC =@G65 @?6D :7 E96JVC6 7=J:?8[” |F==:? D2:5]k^Am kAm%96C6 :D ?@ E:>6=:?6 7@C C6DE2CE:?8 7=:89ED] |F==:? D2:5 :?G6DE:82E@CD H:== =@@< 2E H96E96C E96C6 :D 2?J =:?< E@ E96 uppVD ?2E:@?H:56 C@==@FE @7 2 ?6H 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 DJDE6> E@ 96=A :56?E:7J AC@3=6>D 2?5 C6C@FE6 A=2?6D] qFE E92E DJDE6> @A6C2E6D @FE @7 @?6 =@42E:@? ?62C (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r][ 2?5 ;FDE D6?5D C64@>>6?52E:@?D E@ E96 2:C EC277:4 4@?EC@= 46?E6CD]k^Am kAm%96 8@G6C?>6?E 92D 366? H@C<:?8 E@ @G6C92F= E96 @FE52E65 E649?@=@8J E92E 2:C EC277:4 4@?EC@==6CD C6=J @? D:?46 r@?8C6DD 2AAC@G65 S`a]d 3:==:@? 7@C E96 AC@;64E =2DE J62C] |:=6D @7 @=5 4@AA6C H:C6D 92G6 366? C6A=2465 H:E9 7:36C @AE:4 =:?6D 2?5 @=5 C25:@ DJDE6>D 2C6 8C25F2==J 36:?8 C6A=2465 2E 2:CA@CED 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am kAmqFE >F49 H@C< C6>2:?D] sF77J 92D D2:5 E92E 2?@E96C Sb_ 3:==:@? H:== 36 ?66565 E@ 4@>A=6E6 E96 H@C<[ 2?5 E96 (9:E6 w@FD6 92D 368F? =@33J:?8 r@?8C6DD E@ 2AAC@G6 :E]k^Am kAm%96 AC@3=6> 2AA62C65 D:>:=2C E@ 2 C68:@?2= 2:C EC277:4 4@?EC@= 4@>>F?:42E:@? @FE286 :? $6AE6>36C E92E D?2C=65 9F?5C65D @7 7=:89ED 24C@DD E96 }@CE962DE[ 2G:2E:@? D276EJ 6IA6CE $E6G6 pCC@J@ D2:5[ 6I46AE E9:D E:>6 @? 2 ?2E:@?H:56 D42=6] xE >2J 36 =:?<65 E@ E96 @FE52E65 E649?@=@8J FD65 3J 2:C EC277:4 4@?EC@==6CD]k^Am kAm“x7 J@F 5@?’E 92G6 E92E 23:=:EJ[ H96E96C :E’D 3642FD6 E96 @=5 H:C6D E92E E96J 92G6 2C6 ;FDE CF? 5@H? @C 7@C H92E6G6C C62D@?[ J@F’G6 8@E E@ DE@A 2:CA=2?6D @? E96 8C@F?5[” D2:5 pCC@J@[ H9@ :D 2 7@C>6C &?:E65 p:C=:?6D A:=@E] “p?5 ?@E AFE E96> :? E96 2:C H96C6 J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ C:D< ?@E 36:?8 23=6 E@ 4@>>F?:42E6 H:E9 E96>]”k^Am kAmuC:52J’D 8C@F?5 DE@A H2D 5:776C6?E E92? E96 @?6 27E6C $6AE] `` 3642FD6 A=2?6D H6C6 ?@E 36:?8 E@=5 E@ =2?5 :>>65:2E6=J 2?5 A:=@ED =:<6=J H6C6 23=6 E@ 4@>>F?:42E6 H:E9 8C@F?5 4@?EC@==6CD 2E 2:CA@CED[ pCC@J@ D2:5]k^Am k9C ^m kAmp! HC:E6C |625 vCFG6C 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE 7C@> u@CE r@==:?D[ r@=@C25@]k^Am k9C ^m kAm%9:D DE@CJ 92D 366? 4@CC64E65 E@ D9@H E96 $6AE] `` 2EE24