The US’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has halted all flights nationwide “because of extraordinary circumstances and for causes of security”.
British Airways has cancelled a flight to New York which had been because of take off from London Heathrow at 10.30pm on Friday.
A spokesman for Manchester Airport confirmed three US-bound flights scheduled to depart on Saturday morning – all operated by Virgin Atlantic – are prone to be affected if the difficulty is just not resolved quickly.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson stated: “We’re conscious of the bottom cease order issued by the Federal Aviation Administration for all US airports.
“We’re carefully monitoring the scenario and assessing any influence to our flights. We advise any prospects because of journey to test their flight standing at virginatlantic.com.”
US transportation secretary Sean Duffy stated the FAA is investigating a communications problem affecting regional air site visitors management centres, based on the Related Press.
It is just the second time flights have been grounded throughout the US for the reason that September 11 terror assaults in 2001.
Flights have been halted by the FAA in January 2023 due to a system error.
US homeland safety secretary Markwayne Mullin stated: “There is no such thing as a purpose for the general public to be afraid or scared to your family members. This isn’t one other 9/11… It is a telecommunications outage.
“All through FAA, out of ample of warning, we’ve got grounded all of the flights, and all of the flights are accounted for.
“As incoming flights, both internationally or the flights which can be presently nonetheless within the air, we’ll be coping with these case by case.
“As you may think about, there will likely be a precedence checklist as they begin coming in.”
He added: “All people is protected. There is no such thing as a purpose to be involved about your family members in the event that they’re flying or something like that. I simply need to make sure that all people’s comfy about that.”
He went on: “There is no such thing as a indication as of but that this was a nefarious assault in opposition to us. It’s only a telecommunication outage as of proper now.”
A spokesperson for American Airways stated: “The FAA has briefly paused departures nationwide.
“Flights already within the air can proceed to their locations.
“We anticipate disruption to our schedule for the remainder of the day, relying on the size of the FAA’s nationwide floor cease.
“Will probably be all hands-on deck throughout American to get prospects on their manner as quickly as potential when the FAA lifts this floor cease.