US grounds all departing flights over safety concerns
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday issued a national ground stop, citing “extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety”. The FAA directed all departing flights to remain grounded until further notice, while inbound international flights would be handled on a case-by-case basis. The agency had earlier announced a ground stop at Chicago O'Hare International Airport due to a communications issue, according to its website. The FAA said equipment outages could lead to airborne holding at airports across the country's national airspace system. The government has been working to modernise the outdated technology used by air traffic controllers since Congress approved $12.5 billion for the project last year. The overhaul includes replacing miles of ageing copper wires with fibre-optic lines and gradually upgrading old radio systems at airports across the country.
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