US Grounds Domestic Flights Following Control Center Failure

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a stop to all domestic departures this Friday. The measure was taken due to a technical failure that affected several units responsible for managing air traffic. Aircraft already in the air were authorized to complete their landings as normal.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that technical teams are working to identify the source of the system instability. Initial reports rule out the possibility of a cyberattack against the infrastructure. International flights are being analyzed on a case-by-case basis by the competent authorities.

Data from monitoring platforms points to the incident causing the cancellation or delay of nearly 8,000 trips. The sector faces a recent history of operational difficulties, including a shortage of controllers and obsolete equipment. A total grounding of departures is a rare event in the history of American civil aviation.

The United States government has requested an additional 30.1 billion dollars from Congress to modernize the system. The request complements the 12.5 billion dollars previously allocated for structural reforms. The last nationwide shutdown in the country occurred in January 2023.