FAA Ground Stop Delays ASU’s Flight to Orlando

Arizona State’s football team was unable to leave Phoenix for Orlando on November 13 after a nationwide ground stop halted flights. The Sun Devils were set to face UCF on Saturday afternoon.

The team had planned to depart from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport earlier Friday. After the stoppage had lasted more than two hours, officials sent the players and staff to their Tempe base, planning another departure attempt the next morning.

As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, the game remained scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Arizona time. The delay could compress the team’s preparation and travel schedule before the matchup.

The FAA halted flights shortly after 2 p.m. because of problems with air traffic control communications. More than 400 flights at Sky Harbor had been delayed, and authorities had not said when flights would resume.

Arizona State was not the only college football team affected. Utah had also been unable to depart for its game against Arizona in Tucson, and travel disruptions had affected at least 10 teams from Power Four conferences.