A nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop halted departures at Harry Reid International Airport on Friday, leaving many flights delayed by hours and security lines backed up. Airport officials attributed the stop to an equipment outage and urged passengers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications issue was affecting regional air traffic control centers that guide planes between airports nationwide, calling it the first such nationwide ground stop since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The disruption caught the UNLV football team at the airport as they prepared to fly to New Mexico for a game scheduled Saturday afternoon. FOX5 sports reporter Bea Martinez was traveling with the team when the ground stop was reported. There was no immediate word on the status of the game.
Airlines including JetBlue, United and Aeromexico posted statements on social media warning passengers of delays and advising them to verify flight status before arriving at the airport. CNN reported that roughly 10,000 flights were affected nationwide as of 3 p.m. The situation remained fluid Friday afternoon.
Sources: FOX5 Vegas
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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