Departures at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport were disrupted Friday, Nov. 13, after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide departure halt following an air traffic control communications problem.
Detroit Metro said the restriction affected departing flights but not arrivals, according to a 5:30 p.m. airport statement reported by ClickOnDetroit. The airport advised passengers to check with their airlines before traveling to the terminal.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement on X that communications problems affected regional air traffic control centers and that FAA technicians were investigating.
The centers coordinate aircraft traveling between airports. The nationwide ground stop directed departing aircraft to remain on the ground until further notice.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication yet of an attack, the Associated Press reported. His statement did not establish the technical cause of the outage.
What travelers should check
Passengers should confirm their individual flight’s status directly with their airline before heading to the airport. A departure restriction does not necessarily mean a flight has been canceled.
The FAA’s National Airspace System status page lists airport restrictions and delays. The agency also publishes operational notices through its advisory system.
Airport-wide restrictions and airline flight information serve different purposes: travelers should consult their airline for departure times, cancellations and rebooking options.
