What is known about the suspension of flights in the USA

In a rare decision, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered this Friday (13) the suspension of all takeoffs in the country.

The FAA reported that the measure was adopted due to extraordinary circumstances and safety reasons. The guidance is that all flights scheduled to depart from the United States remain on the ground until further notice.

The suspension of all takeoffs in the United States has a recent precedent: in January 2023 the same measure was adopted.

There is still no clear answer as to what motivated the strike and the American government says it is continuing to investigate the details.

According to a statement from US Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, a telecommunications problem led to the shutdown.

When was the last time a strike like this happened?

The last time the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended all takeoffs in the United States was in January 2023.

At the time, a failure in the agency's aeronautical information system caused the cancellation of more than 1,300 flights and delays in almost 10,000.

Is there any connection to the September 11 attacks?

No. The United States Secretary of Homeland Security ruled out the possibility of an attack and stated that the episode is not a "new September 11" and that it is just a telecommunications failure.

Does this case have anything to do with the problem involving Microsoft?

In a press conference at the White House, Markwayne Mullin said there is "no reason" to link today's case to the technology problems involving Microsoft.

Is there a forecast for normalization?

So far, the FAA has not announced when the suspension will end. The initial forecast was that the restriction would last until 22:00 UTC (19:00 Brasília time).

According to aviation analyst Robert Mann, in an interview with Reuters, if the suspension continues until the evening, it will probably be necessary to wait until the weekend to resolve the impacts on airline operations.

What do authorities and companies say in Brazil?

Anac monitors flights, recommends consulting companies and reinforces the right to material assistance, reaccommodation or reimbursement.

GRU Airport received an alert to keep flights to or from the USA on the ground until further notice and advises passengers to contact airlines.

Gol reported that it monitors two flights departing from the USA with a focus on safety. Azul is awaiting guidance, with one flight on a normal route to Orlando and three others scheduled.