The FAA now says communication issues are affecting "multiple" Air Route Traffic Control Centers, a narrower description than Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's claim that "all" of them are affected.
The FAA statement, reported by Reuters correspondent David Shepardson and relayed by Clash Report, refers to "communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers". CNBC's headline uses the FAA's wording.
Duffy, posting on X at 4.16pm ET (9.16pm UK), said:
"The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them."
The two accounts agree on the nature of the problem but not on its extent. The FAA's earlier advisory cited only "reasons of safety" and did not mention communications, so this statement is the first time the agency itself has pointed to a communication problem.
Neither Duffy nor the FAA has given a cause.