TravelSaturday, November 14
El Paso flights resume after a nationwide FAA ground stop lasted more than four hours
The Daily El Paso team
If you were flying out of El Paso on Friday, you hit a nationwide ground stop. The FAA ordered airports to hold departing traffic for “extraordinary circumstances” and safety concerns, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pointed to a communication issue at air route traffic control centers. El Paso International Airport listed five cancellations and 37 delays for the rest of the day as of 3:30 p.m.
Friday's ground stop grounded planes and delayed El Paso flights
- 3,500+
- planes in the air when the ground stop was issued
- Under 400
- planes still in the air as of 6 p.m.
- 5
- cancellations listed at El Paso's airport as of 3:30 p.m.
- 37
- delays listed at El Paso's airport as of 3:30 p.m.
Sources: KVIA, El Paso Matters
After more than four hours, the FAA lifted the ground stop. The airport says flights are resuming, though passengers may still see residual delays. Flying today? We suggest checking your airline's flight status before you head to the airport.
- Las Cruces airport: “minimum impact” for local air traffic
- Escobar hopes airlines will refund or credit impacted passengers
- No sign of a threat so far, Homeland Security's Mullin said
- More FAA upgrade money: Duffy says $30 billion is needed
Friday's ground stop was the first nationwide one since 2023
- Sept. 2001Flights were grounded nationwide after the Sept. 11 attacks.
- Jan. 2023A key FAA computer system malfunctioned, and flights were grounded nationwide.
- Nov. 13FAA grounds all flights over communications problems; lifted after more than four hours.
Sources: KVIA, El Paso Matters
Sources: KDBC, El Paso Times, KVIA, El Paso Matters