Kathmandu [Nepal], November 14 – A technical failure in the US air traffic control communication system disrupted thousands of flights across the country triggering widespread delays and cancellations and leaving passengers stranded at airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended flights for more than four hours over safety concerns after the communication system experienced technical problems. The disruption caused significant chaos across the US aviation network and marked the most widespread interruption to American air travel since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chief Robert L. Sumwalt said the country had not experienced an aviation disruption of this scale since the 2001 attacks. He described the incident as surprising, particularly in an era of advanced technology.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication of an attack against the United States and assured the public that the situation was safe. President Donald Trump also said the problem did not appear to have been caused by a cyberattack or artificial intelligence.
According to aviation data provider Cirium, nearly 5,000 flights were cancelled, thousands more were delayed and approximately 1.5 million passengers were affected.
Aircraft already in the air were safely guided to land. Air Canada also cancelled all flights between the United States and Canada until Friday evening.
