Thousands of travelers across the United States faced cancellations and delays Saturday as airlines struggled to recover from the longest nationwide flight ground stop in 25 years.
More than 2,500 flights were canceled on November 14, according to The Associated Press, following a major Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shutdown Friday that lasted more than four hours.
Federal officials said newly introduced technology overloaded aging air traffic control equipment, causing communication failures and intermittent radar problems. The FAA temporarily suspended departures nationwide to protect passenger safety.
Although flights resumed Friday evening, airlines continued dealing with displaced aircraft, disrupted schedules, and stranded passengers.
The shutdown also affected professional and college sports teams, forcing several to change travel arrangements or use buses to reach scheduled games.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the problems involved outdated infrastructure rather than the FAA’s new artificial intelligence system. He also warned that additional outages remain possible.
Officials expect air travel operations to stabilize before the busy Thanksgiving holiday period, although disruptions could continue for several days.
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