The United States experienced widespread disruption in air traffic on Saturday, with major airlines canceling over 4,500 flights and delaying more than 4,400 others, in an effort to recover from the longest nationwide flight stoppage since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The Director of the Federal Aviation Administration, Brian Bedford, apologized for the disruptions in the aviation sector, confirming the stability of the system and anticipating a return to normal airline operations by the end of tomorrow, Sunday.
The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday, which halted most departing flights for about five hours, resulting in the cancellation of nearly 10,000 flights and delaying over 7,000 more, marking one of the worst crises in the American aviation sector.
The crisis prompted the White House to hold an emergency meeting in the Situation Room, while federal agencies began investigations to determine whether the disruption was caused by a cyberattack.
In turn, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on Saturday that the installation of at least one new router at a remote facility by the contractor L3 Harris was the cause of this disruption.
U.S. authorities continue their efforts to address the repercussions of the crisis and restore regular air traffic, with anticipation for flights to return to normal levels in the coming hours.