US flights — Ground Stop Lifted as Inbound and Outbound Flights Resume

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted its nationwide ground stop order, allowing US flights departing from Incheon to the United States to resume with delays rather than cancellations. Although some flights were initially processed as cancellations earlier in the morning, they were added back to flight schedules once the operational restrictions were lifted.

FAA Lifts Nationwide Ground Stop After Communications Issue

According to the airline industry on the 14th, the FAA lifted its nationwide flight departure halt at approximately 8:15 PM Eastern Time on the 13th. This came about 4 hours and 20 minutes after the measure was implemented around 4:00 PM.

Consequently, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines decided to operate delayed flights for the US-bound routes that were previously canceled. Affected routes include Korean Air’s Incheon–Atlanta route (KE033 and KE034) and Asiana Airlines’ Incheon–New York route (OZ221 and OZ222). Airlines are currently adjusting departure times to match operational conditions at US local airports.

Impact on Global Travel and Ongoing Investigations

Previously, the FAA ordered all airport aircraft departures to halt for safety reasons after a communication glitch affected air traffic control centers across the United States. Inbound international flights arriving in the US were managed on a case-by-case basis.

The incident caused major disruptions in US local flight operations. As of 5:00 PM on the day the ground stop was implemented, delayed flights exceeded 8,000, and approximately 400 flights were canceled. Confusion persisted at major airports such as Chicago and Denver, where passengers had to disembark and wait.

US authorities are currently investigating the cause of the glitch. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained that it was a communication issue affecting air traffic control centers nationwide. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stated that no signs indicating a cyberattack or criminal activity have been identified thus far.

Although flight restrictions have been lifted, normalization will take time as flight schedules have piled up. Because airlines must readjust aircraft and crew schedules, delays for flights traveling to and from the US are expected to continue for the time being.