Travelers flying out of the New York City metro area faced grueling delays as the Federal Aviation Administration grounded planes across the country Friday.
The ground stop affecting thousands of flights out of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, threw airports into chaos, with travelers demanding answers as the status of every departure suddenly read, “Delayed.”
“This FAA ground stop is crazy. My dad’s at JFK and his flight to London has been halted along with everyone else’s,” Sloan Ashton wrote on social media. “He hasn’t received any further information and it’s such a mess there.”
“But should we expect any different from an administration filled with inept people?”
The FAA notice said the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there is a communications issue affecting the 22 regional air traffic control centers that direct planes en route between airports nationwide. He said FAA technicians are investigating.
Adam Gray/Getty Images
A person looks at a departures board showing delays and cancellations at LaGuardia airport on Friday. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)
The departure hold only extended the havoc that began Thursday in NYC, when strong storms triggered a tornado warning in Queens and raked the five boroughs with rain and high winds.
“Yesterday I was at JFK for 8 hours waiting through six delays until the flight was finally cancelled and I had to stay an extra night,” Connor Boyack wrote on X. “I’m back at the airport now and… then this happened.”
“So yesterday I was at JFK for 12 hours now I’m at Newark for 7 and the FAA shuts down every flight???!!! Outlook, now this?” Bryce Marin wrote on X. “Plz tell me a grid shutdown isn’t next. Honestly worst luck.”
The blanket order grounding all flights out of U.S. airports is only the second time the FAA has ordered a nationwide stoppage since the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.
“This reminds me exactly of what happened on 9/11. I was flying for @Delta from Atlanta to LaGuardia,” former U.S. Air Force Pilot Buzz Patterson said on X. “It’s real.”