The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended all takeoffs across the United States, a measure that is being applied on a case-by-case basis to international departures, according to United Airlines.
United Airlines, which operates the largest fleet of aircraft in the country, clarified that while domestic flights remain grounded, international departures are under individual review by the FAA. The airline also informed via the social network X that flights already in operation will proceed to their destination, similar to what is happening with American Airlines.
American Airlines anticipated flight disruptions for the remainder of the day and assured that its entire team is mobilized to ensure passengers continue their journey as soon as possible once the national takeoff suspension is lifted by the FAA.
American, United, and Delta are identified as the major North American airlines. The United States holds the busiest airspace globally, and the FAA is responsible for managing an average of over 45,000 flights daily, serving approximately 2.9 million passengers from these carriers.
The suspension of all takeoffs occurred today due to communication problems detected in regional air traffic control centers. In an official statement, the FAA justified the halt in activities, citing 'extraordinary circumstances and safety reasons,' adding that 'all outbound traffic [from airports] must remain on the ground until further notice.'
Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, confirmed that a communication failure affected the 22 regional air traffic control centers responsible for guiding aircraft between airports, and added that FAA technicians are investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, assured that the suspension order is not related to any terrorist threat, but rather to 'a telecommunications interruption.' Mullin reassured the public, stating that 'there is no reason for the public to feel fear or worry about their loved ones; this is not a new September 11th,' when speaking to journalists at the White House.
Mullin also mentioned that President Donald Trump had already been notified of the situation, and that the immediate priority was ensuring that aircraft still flying landed safely, emphasizing that there is no clear information yet regarding the duration of the interruption.
According to the AP agency, citing air safety experts, the problem resembles a regional air traffic control communication failure that occurred in September, affecting hundreds of flights in the Northeast region, unlike this time where the impact was nationwide. These experts suggested that the episode might be linked to outdated technology used by air traffic controllers.
This represents the first nationwide flight cancellation in the United States since January 2023, when a critical FAA computer system experienced failures. Previously, the last event of this nature occurred after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Two communication failures occurred in 2025 on Newark flights, one of the three major airports serving New York. The North American air traffic control system is impacted by obsolete infrastructure, which, according to Duffy, makes technological modernization urgent. The U.S. government has invested in updating this technology after Congress approved $12.5 billion last year for the project.
The ongoing modernization involves replacing kilometers of old copper cables with fiber optic lines and progressively replacing antiquated radio systems at airports across the country. However, Duffy stated that an additional $30 billion will be needed to complete the project, and the White House has begun discussions with Congress to obtain approval for this amount.
