South Florida Flights Remain Disrupted After FAA Ground Stop

On November 14, flight disruptions continued at South Florida airports after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide departure halt Friday night. At Miami International Airport, 128 flights had been canceled and 149 delayed by 9 a.m., according to flight-tracking data. Travelers were also still dealing with the effects at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The FAA ordered the halt Friday afternoon after communications problems affected air traffic control centers. The suspension lasted more than four hours, ending at about 8 p.m. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said operations would take time to recover as airlines worked through disrupted schedules and coordinated aircraft and crews. Officials said more than 15,000 domestic flights were canceled or delayed.

Federal officials linked the outage to aging equipment, including network switches and routers that became overloaded, disrupting radar and communications. Duffy said the halt was a precaution. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said officials had found no evidence of a cyberattack and said the disruption did not put flights or passengers in danger.

Passengers described being left without clear updates and having to reconsider their plans. John and Ashley Marello, who had driven from Orlando to Miami to try to reach Milan after an earlier weather-related cancellation, considered going home as delays mounted. Other travelers said they learned of the disruption while already heading to the airport or after boarding.

Airlines were working to restore schedules on Saturday. Travelers were urged to contact their airlines before heading to the airport and to use airline websites or apps for updated flight information and rebooking options.