The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon, halting departing flights at airports across Texas and the rest of the country.
The rare order affects major airports in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio and elsewhere in the state.
At least 483 flights had been delayed or canceled at two of Texas’ busiest airports Friday, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport reported 327 delays and three cancellations, while Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport reported 150 delays and three cancellations.
U.S Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the ground stop was prompted by a communications problem affecting air traffic control centers nationwide.
“FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them,” Duffy wrote on social media Friday.
The agency cited “extraordinary circumstances” and safety concerns in issuing the order, according to CNN. The FAA also directed all departing aircraft to remain on the ground until further notice. International flights arriving in the United States would be handled on a case-by-case basis.
It wasn’t immediately clear how long the ground stop would last. Gov. Greg Abbott said the Texas Division of Emergency Management was coordinating with local and federal officials and was prepared to assist airports and travelers if needed.
“The State of Texas is prepared to address any unmet needs,” Abbott said, urging travelers to check with their airlines for flight updates.
Nationwide ground stops are extremely rare. The FAA last issued one in January 2023, when an outage involving a system used to alert pilots to potential hazards disrupted air travel across the country.
Before that, the FAA hadn’t issued a nationwide ground stop since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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