The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its nationwide ground stop on departing flights Friday night, allowing departures to resume after a communications outage. The change ended the nationwide halt, but airlines and airports warned that cancellations and schedule delays would continue as aircraft and crews moved back into position.

Flights can resume before schedules recover

The FAA said it had tested its systems before clearing flights to resume. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that reopening the airspace would not put every flight back on schedule at once. The Associated Press reported that the agency expected the recovery to take time, while JetBlue warned that disruptions and additional cancellations could continue into Saturday.

Airlines must also reconnect aircraft and crews with their planned routes after delays, diversions and cancellations. That can leave some flights affected after the ground stop itself has ended, and individual carrier schedules may change as operations are adjusted.

Airports warned of continued delays

Houston’s Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports said departures were resuming after the stop was lifted, but warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations as airlines restored schedules. Bush Airport said disruption could continue through the weekend. Conditions differ by airport and airline, so national updates do not determine the status of any one booking.

What travelers should check on Saturday

Check your airline’s app or website for the current status of each flight before leaving for the airport, and check again if you have a connection. If a carrier changes or cancels a flight, follow its instructions for rebooking and confirm the new itinerary directly with the airline. The FAA’s National Airspace System Status page can provide broader air-traffic notices, while the airline has the latest information for your reservation.

This is a status update to The Globuzz’s earlier report on the nationwide ground stop.

Sources

Associated Press, FAA lifts nationwide ground stop; CBS News, FAA lifts nationwide ground stop and reports flights resuming; Houston Chronicle, Houston airports resume departures but expect continuing delays.