FAA Projects US Air Traffic Normalization by Sunday

The US Federal Aviation Administration estimates that air traffic will return to normal only by the end of Sunday. The technical issue affected 17 of the 22 en route control centers across the country. Authorities ruled out the possibility of a cyberattack against the infrastructure.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that a router installed by L3Harris overwhelmed communication systems. The equipment generated more than 1,000 connection attempts every few seconds. This caused interruptions in radar and communication with aircraft in the cruise phase.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford points to the fact that no facility lost communication entirely. The agency is conducting additional tests with the contractor to identify whether the cause was human error or equipment failure. The investigation into the exact origin of the problem remains ongoing.

Experts warn that the full recovery of operations may take days or even weeks. The need to rebook passengers and reschedule complex maintenance puts pressure on airline logistics. The sector faces additional challenges due to the proximity of holidays with high travel demand.

The disruption forced a halt to takeoffs at several American airports last Friday. The magnitude of the event created uncertainty regarding the stability of transport systems. The US government is working to ensure that the system remains stable during the resumption of flights.