The Federal Aviation Administration halted takeoffs at airports across the United States on Friday, Nov. 13, citing safety concerns. (Foto: Instagram)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted takeoffs at airports across the United States on Friday, Nov. 13, citing safety concerns. Before Friday’s action, the U.S. government had suspended takeoffs nationwide twice in the previous 25 years: in January 2023 and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The January 2023 stoppage followed a technical failure in the Notice to Air Missions system, known as NOTAM. The system provides alerts to pilots and air traffic controllers.
In September 2001, after al-Qaida’s attack on the World Trade Center, the government suspended flights and closed U.S. airspace entirely.
The FAA cited “safety reasons” and “extraordinary circumstances” for Friday’s interruption. The agency said international flights headed to the United States would be evaluated individually. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications problem affected all air traffic control centers in the country.
