This browser does not support the Video element.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop Friday due to an equipment and communication issue. All departing flights, including flights at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), are grounded.
Nationwide FAA-issued ground stop affecting MSP
What we know:
According to MSP Airport, all of its departing flights have been grounded after the FAA issued a nationwide ground stop.
The MSP Airport said on X that the ground stop is due to an "equipment issue". Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it is because of a communication issue "impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers."
Duffy says that FAA technicians are investigating the issue.
What they're saying:
An advisory that was posted earlier on the FAA website stated:
"Due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety. Attention all aircraft operators, by order of the Federal Aviation Command Center all airports are ground stopped. All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis."
Local perspective:
The total delays at MSP Airport so far on Friday is 204, according to FlightAware.
What we don't know:
It is not known what exactly the communication issue is or what led up to the issue that caused the ground stop.
The Source: Social media posts from MSP Airport, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and reporting by FOX LOCAL.