A computer glitch at the Federal Aviation Administration delayed airline traffic across much of the nation early Wednesday, and the agency said it was working to restore the system.
All U.S. departures that had been paused since about 7:30 a.m. EST have been lifted, the FAA said in a statement at 8:50 a.m.
Going out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport there were 98 flight delays and 20 canceled flights as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to FlightAware. At Tucson International Airport there were six departing flights delayed and one canceled around that time.
If you’re flying today, please check flight status with your airline before coming to the airport. https://t.co/GiJxdrXotO
— Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (@PHXSkyHarbor)
Southwest Airlines said it was closely “monitoring a data issue with the FAA” that may impact operations. It urged travelers to check flight status.
Kenneth Coffman was waiting in Sky Harbor’s Terminal 4 because of a Southwest delay. He was on the beginning of a trip to the Pacific Northwest, and said it was clear Southwest was not the only flight group that was having troubles.
“Our flight was delayed, that’s why we’re sitting here, we’re flying Southwest to Portland,” said Coffman. “The government was saying they were going to investigate Southwest Airlines because of all the delays and cancellations. Now the FAA caused this one, so maybe they should look into their own house.”
Arizona natives Avery Wayment and Ellie Blair as they waited in Sky Harbor Terminal 4 this morning to see their friend off on her delayed Southwest flight.
“Our friend is starting her Mission, so she’s leaving today. Her flight was delayed almost an hour,” said Blair.
Blair and Wayment also said they’ve had recent troubles flying with Southwest.
Airlines — mostly Southwest Airlines — canceled flights for days in late December, blaming a winter storm. The U.S. Department of Transportation promised an investigation into the delays and issues.
United Airlines said in a statement that it had “temporarily delayed all domestic flights and will issue an update when we learn more from the FAA.”
The airline issued a waiver for those who had flights delayed due to the FAA ground stop. The change fee and fare difference will be waived for those who had Jan. 11 as their original travel date, according to United’s website. For the waiver to apply the flight has to be rescheduled no later than Jan. 16.
Airlines for America, the trade group that represents major U.S. airlines, urged travelers to check with their carriers throughout the day.
“For real-time updates related to any potential delays or cancellations caused by the FAA’s system disruptions, travelers should download their airline’s app, visit the carrier’s website and ensure their contact information is accurate on travel records,” the group said.
Why were flights delayed today?
The glitch in the Notice to Air Mission system delayed more than 4,000 flights within, into or out of the United States just before 9 a.m. EST, according to the tracking website FlightAware. More 700 flights in the country were canceled. With 19,621 domestic flights scheduled on Monday, according to Cirium data, those numbers are almost certain to rise as airlines recover their operations.
The FAA said it was working to fully restore the affected Notice to Air Mission system, which provides pilots with safety information for the nation’s airports.
Ahmed Abdelghan, associate dean for research at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s David B. O’Maley College of Business told USA TODAY that passengers should expect headaches as airlines recover their operations through the day.
“Just be patient and get updates from the airline websites,” he said. “We will see that the impact is going to propagate through the day.”
Did the FAA shut down flights?
Not exactly. The system provides pilots with crucial safety information for every flight, and the FAA temporarily grounded new departures while it addressed the outage.
For now, most airlines seem to expect to run more or less their full schedules for the day, though many flights are likely to be delayed once departures are allowed again.
The White House weighs in
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed early Wednesday that President Joe Biden had been briefed by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on the situation.
“There is no evidence of a cyberattack at this point, but the President directed DOT to conduct a full investigation into the causes. The FAA will provide regular updates,” Jean-Pierre said on Twitter.
What is the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system?
A Notice to Air Missions is a notice that provides pilots and other flight personnel with real-time, safety information concerning flight operations and airports.
NOTAMs list potential hazards and conditions that can change flights – from runway construction or possible icing to a change in an aeronautical facility or flight service.
Pilots are required to consult the Notice to Air Missions system before starting every flight.
The FAA notes that the system “states the abnormal status of a component of the National Airspace System (NAS) – not the normal status.” The federal agency adds that Notice to Air Missions are “not known far enough in advance to be publicized by other means.”
“It’s a safety issue,” Abdelghan said. “God forbid if the pilots are not updated with abnormal conditions it might lead to some serious problems like accidents or something like that.”
The system was telephone-based in the past, with pilots calling flight service stations for the information, but it has now moved online.
Wednesday’s outage will likely lead to widespread disruption – as all aircraft are required to route through the system, including both commercial and military flights.
Sydney Carruth and USA Today contributed to this report.
This content was originally published here.
