Copper wire upgrade blamed for nationwide US flight halt
Transport officials say a contractor's upgrade work set off the shutdown, which left thousands of flights cancelled and passengers stranded.
Key points
- A nationwide US ground stop was linked to a copper wire upgrade, according to Transport Secretary Sean Duffy.
- The government sees no sign that a cyber-attack caused the problem, though the investigation continues.
- FlightAware counted more than 3,500 cancellations on Saturday, with about 2,000 further delays.
- Duffy cautioned the issue could return unless Congress funds air traffic control upgrades.
A nationwide ground stop in the United States led to thousands of flight cancellations after a problem traced to a copper wire upgrade, according to Transport Secretary Sean Duffy. Speaking at a news conference, Duffy said officials are still working out whether the fault came from mistakes by the company doing the work or from faulty equipment.
Duffy said the government sees no sign that a cyber-attack caused the problem. The probe is ongoing, so the question has not been fully closed.
Read also: US flights grounded nationwide after communications outage
What happened on Friday
Air travel was halted across the continental US for longer than four hours, beginning at 15:54 EST (19:54 GMT) on Friday. It was the longest halt of this kind since the attacks of 11 September 2001.
Duffy explained that a contractor, L3Harris, was replacing old copper lines with fibre. A router being serviced began sending disruption into other air traffic control systems, which interfered with communication with aircraft. Authorities then shut the airspace as a safety measure.
On Saturday, the tracking service FlightAware counted over 3,500 cancellations inside the US, plus a little over 2,000 delays, as knock-on effects continued. Some travellers remained trapped aboard aircraft on the tarmac, unable to leave the plane or get back to a terminal. A number of overseas flights were permitted to leave American airports, apparently to free up room.
Officials respond
Bryan Bedford, head of the Federal Aviation Administration, said at the same briefing that officials had found no indication of deliberate interference or any link to artificial intelligence. Duffy described the national telecommunications setup as dated, noting that the copper wire in question was already being phased out.
Duffy cautioned that the same failure could happen again if lawmakers do not fund improvements to air traffic control equipment. President Donald Trump has asked for $30.1bn toward those improvements. Republicans currently hold majorities in both houses of Congress.
Why it matters
Former TSA Administrator John Pistole told the BBC that the quick restart, after about four and a half hours, showed the system can bounce back. He asked, however, whether an identical event could be ruled out for the next day.
The only comparable nationwide halt came in the wake of the 2001 attacks, when take-offs were stopped for several days. The disruption from the latest halt is anticipated to stretch on for some days.
Frequently asked questions
What caused the US nationwide ground stop?
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said it followed an issue linked to a copper wire upgrade being carried out by contractor L3Harris. The government is still investigating whether the cause was incompetence or faulty equipment.
Was the flight halt a cyber-attack?
Duffy said the government sees no sign that a cyber-attack caused the problem, and the probe is still ongoing. FAA head Bryan Bedford said officials had found no indication of deliberate interference.
How many flights were affected?
FlightAware counted over 3,500 cancellations and a little over 2,000 delays inside the US on Saturday. The disruption is expected to continue for some days.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
