FAA lifts ground stop, 21 Palm Springs flights canceled

FAA Update:

PALM SPRINGS — Flights were cleared to take off again Friday evening, Nov. 13, after a communications failure halted departures across the country for more than four hours. By 6 p.m., 12 arrivals and nine departures at Palm Springs International Airport had been canceled.

The local cancellation count had already reached 18 by 4 p.m. For Coachella Valley travelers flying through a hub, the timing of the next leg mattered as much as whether their Palm Springs flight got off the ground. No verified public tally was available for delays at Palm Springs or for how many passengers missed connections.

Nationwide, more than 9,500 flights were delayed and about 5,300 were canceled by Friday evening. Los Angeles International Airport alone recorded more than 600 delays and more than 280 cancellations. The figures reflect Friday’s flight activity and may include disruptions unrelated to the ground stop.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued the stop shortly after 1 p.m. Pacific time when communications problems disrupted air traffic control centers. Flights already airborne could continue to land. At LAX, that still meant a long wait for some passengers. Ruth Coles, who had flown in from Newark to visit her sister and attend a festival, said she remained aboard for hours after landing while the plane waited for a gate.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said aging network equipment became overloaded with data and began producing inconsistent information. The FAA said it tested its systems for stability before clearing departures to resume. Duffy cautioned that getting traffic moving again would take time as airlines worked to get crews and aircraft back into position.

Palm Springs passengers traveling Friday night or Saturday morning can check the airport’s arrivals and departures board at FlyPSP.com and confirm their flight and any onward connection directly with their airline before leaving for the airport.