The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday, November 13, in an unprecedented action, ordered the suspension of outbound flights throughout the United States. The decision was made after a communication problem at air traffic control centers led to the cancellation or delay of thousands of flights at US airports.
The Secretary of Homeland Security of the USA, Mark Wayne Mullin, said that the suspension of flights occurred due to a disruption in the communication systems, and so far no signs of sabotage or an attack against the USA have been observed. "It's not another 9/11," he stressed to reassure the passengers, adding that all the planes had been identified and the passengers were safe.
AFP photos from Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington show canceled and delayed flights and passengers waiting in the wake of the nationwide disruption.
This is the second nationwide shutdown of outbound flights in the United States since the attacks on September 11, 2001. The previous case happened in January 2023 following the disruption of an aviation system.