The US grounding order affects 15,000 flights. Passengers: "Unheard".
The FAA lifted the nationwide flight suspension order on the evening of the 13th. About 15,000 flights in the United States were delayed or canceled that day.
That afternoon, the FAA issued a nationwide directive to suspend flights due to "special circumstances and safety reasons." The grounding not only disrupted the travel plans of a large number of passengers, but also had a widespread impact on logistics, transportation, sporting events, etc.
This is the second time that the United States has issued a nationwide flight suspension order since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. In January 2023, the FAA ordered it to stop taking off for about two hours due to a malfunction in the computer system.
The US air traffic control system has long been plagued by problems such as equipment malfunctions and a shortage of air traffic controllers. The US Congress last year approved $12.5 billion to upgrade the air traffic control system.