HAMPTON, Va. — Flights are resuming across the country after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop Friday, but a Hampton University aviation expert says it could take time for air travel to return to normal.
The FAA grounded flights nationwide Friday because of issues at regional air traffic control centers, according to the Associated Press.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications issue affected the regional centers responsible for directing aircraft between airports across the country.
Certain flights were exempt from the ground stop, including flights within Alaska and Hawaii, along with some international flights departing U.S. airspace.
It marked the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. Before that, the last nationwide ground stop occurred following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication the disruption was caused by a malicious attack.
"It's just a telecommunications outage," Mullin said.
The disruption affected travelers across the country, including multiple NBA, NHL and college sports teams that were left stranded ahead of a busy sports weekend, according to the AP.
But now that the ground stop has been lifted, the question is how quickly airports and airlines can get back on schedule.
Timothy Johnson, an assistant professor and coordinator of Hampton University's Air Traffic Control Collegiate Training Initiative program, says that won't happen immediately.
Johnson spent more than 20 years working in air traffic control with the U.S. Air Force, both stateside and overseas.
"I just know it's going to take some time for it to die down," Johnson told News 3 Friday evening.
He says one of the biggest challenges will be determining which aircraft can depart first as airports work through the backlog of flights.
"Who's gonna get first to go? Who's gonna get off the ground? Are they gonna try to do those oceanic flights first? Are they — is it gonna be easier for them to do domestic flights?" Johnson said.
He explained that restarting operations requires careful coordination between air traffic controllers, airlines and airports.
"They can't just say, you know, all right, let's get the ball rolling," Johnson said. "There's gonna have to be some type of plan for flight planning and routes and stuff, so I'm curious to see who gets to go first."
Another challenge is managing the number of aircraft that may be waiting on the ground.
Johnson says airports prepare for unexpected disruptions, but even the best plans can be tested when large numbers of flights are unable to depart.
"You know they try airports try to plan for stuff like this, placing aircraft where they need to be, using runways and everything," Johnson said. "But you can never really plan for all a lot of people just there, and the stress level is through the roof."
Johnson knows firsthand how frustrating travel disruptions can be.
He says he was flying through Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday when his flight was delayed approximately four hours.
While waiting, he watched passengers board another aircraft, only to be told that their destination airport had issued a ground stop.
Those passengers were forced to get off the plane and were told they would face an overnight delay.
"Overnight delay meaning you're stuck without your luggage, right?" Johnson said. "So just being patient and trying to wait."
While passengers deal with missed connections, delayed flights and unexpected changes to their travel plans, Johnson says there's another group facing tremendous pressure behind the scenes: air traffic controllers.
"For me, trying to put myself in the room, and I know for air traffic control, it's all about communication," Johnson said. "I know it may seem chaotic, but controllers, we try to stay calm, listen to our supervisors."
Johnson says controllers are often caught in the middle, relaying information to pilots while dealing with the frustration that comes with delays and cancellations.
"We're always that third party, the negotiator, right?" Johnson said. "So we're always having to play that role of I got to get all the attitudes, the everything else."
He says maintaining a calm and professional voice is especially important during a disruption of this magnitude.
"Me, you know, giving that energy back isn't going to help," Johnson said. "So again, just talking, understanding that you're not mad at me, but I am the messenger that's going to get it all."
Beyond the logistical challenges of restoring air travel, Johnson says he's also concerned about the mental health of controllers working through the disruption.
That includes newer controllers who may be experiencing a nationwide ground stop for the first time.
His advice to them is simple.
"Honestly, it's just don't suffer in silence," Johnson said.
He explained that controllers spend their shifts communicating with pilots and other aviation professionals but don't always talk about the stress they're experiencing themselves.
"Understand that talking when you're not plugged in, using that same voice, you know, don't stay in character and then unplug and feel like you have to take all that weight," Johnson said.
He encouraged controllers to lean on their colleagues for support.
"Just like you communicate to your customer, communicate to your fellow controllers because honestly, that is what what you're going to need."
With the nationwide ground stop lifted, airlines and airports are working to restore operations, but passengers could continue experiencing delays as the aviation system recovers.
Johnson says patience and communication will be critical, both for travelers trying to reach their destinations and the controllers responsible for safely getting them there.
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