The FAA halted departures at airports across the United States on Friday, Nov. 13, citing security concerns and extraordinary circumstances. (Foto: Instagram)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted departures at airports across the United States on Friday, Nov. 13, citing security concerns and extraordinary circumstances. The measure marked the first such suspension since January 2023; in the 25 years before Friday, the government had stopped departures on only two occasions.
The most recent previous suspension came in January 2023, after a technical failure in the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system. NOTAM distributes alerts to pilots and air traffic controllers.
The other earlier suspension followed the Al-Qaeda attacks in September 2001. At that time, the U.S. government not only prohibited aircraft from taking off but also closed the country’s airspace entirely.
The FAA said international flights headed to the United States would be assessed individually. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications problem affecting all of the country’s air traffic control centers prompted the suspension.
