Hundreds of thousands of travellers were left stranded at airports across the United States on Friday after an unprecedented nationwide grounding of departing flights triggered widespread delays, cancellations and confusion, with frustrated passengers struggling to find alternative routes.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the nationwide ground stop following a major communications outage, citing extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns.
Government officials said the disruption did not appear to have resulted from any malicious attack, but uncertainty over when flights would resume left passengers increasingly frustrated.
At New York’s LaGuardia Airport, 61-year-old Janice Llewellyn was close to tears as she faced the possibility of missing her daughter’s wedding in Toronto.
Desperately searching for another flight, Llewellyn told AFP, “I may lose my mind.”
“My husband flew all the way from England to get to the wedding,” she said.
“Oh gosh! I wish they had another flight, I wish I could get another flight, like, now.”
Similar scenes unfolded at airports across the country as travellers queued at airline counters, attempted to retrieve checked luggage and searched for alternative transportation.
At Las Vegas airport, passengers reported receiving conflicting explanations about the delays, with some initially told that strong winds were responsible for the disruption.
Uncertainty deepened as airline personnel provided different estimates for how long the grounding might continue.
One airline employee reportedly told passengers that the ground stop would last eight hours, while another suggested it could extend to 24 hours.
Although federal officials subsequently attributed the nationwide disruption to a major communications outage, the explanation provided little reassurance to travellers uncertain about their immediate plans.
The Department of Homeland Security said the outage did not appear to be the result of any “nefarious attack.”
The lack of clear information prompted many stranded passengers to consider abandoning air travel altogether, leading to long queues at rental car counters.
Joseph Anderson, a 72-year-old retired US Air Force veteran, was attempting to return to Oakland from Las Vegas when his journey was disrupted.
Anderson said he was considering renting a vehicle and driving home but worried that widespread flight cancellations could overwhelm highways as other passengers pursued the same option.
“If the whole country is stopped, that means the highways are going to be jammed too,” he said.
His situation was further complicated by the fact that his luggage had already been checked in, leaving him unable to easily change his travel arrangements.
“We’re kind of stuck,” Anderson said, expressing frustration over the lack of communication from aviation authorities.
“I would hope the communication can be better from the FAA,” he added.
At LaGuardia, long lines formed as passengers attempted to retrieve their belongings amid the disruption, while aircraft remained parked at terminals awaiting permission to depart.
The nationwide grounding, an exceptionally rare measure in American aviation, disrupted travel plans across the country and created uncertainty for passengers with urgent personal and professional commitments.
Although authorities identified a major communications outage as the cause of the emergency restrictions, travellers continued to face uncertainty over the duration of the disruption and the availability of alternative flights.
With no clear timetable for the restoration of normal operations at the time of the report, passengers remained stranded as airlines and airport personnel struggled to manage the consequences of the nationwide shutdown.