New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to resign after a nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop disrupted air travel Friday, canceling thousands of flights and leaving travelers stranded.
The FAA lifted the order at about 8:15 p.m. Friday after communications problems affected air route traffic control centers. More than 3,500 planes were already in the air as radar and communications systems faltered, Hochul said.
“America’s airspace ground to a halt yesterday, leaving thousands of flights canceled and travelers stranded across the country. More than 3,500 planes were already in the air as radar and communications systems faltered. We’re fortunate no lives were lost.” — Gov. Kathy Hochul
Hochul said the disruption exposed problems in the nation’s aviation system and called on Congress to conduct a full investigation. She also said President Donald Trump should remove Duffy if the secretary does not resign.
What happened Friday
Duffy and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin attributed the ground stop to the country’s aging air traffic control system. The FAA’s order temporarily halted flights nationwide while communications problems affected air traffic operations.
Hochul linked the disruption to what she described as continuing problems under Duffy’s leadership, including air traffic controller shortages and repeated communications breakdowns. She said the incident occurred as millions of Americans prepare to travel for the holidays and called for answers about the system failure.
- The FAA lifted the ground stop at about 8:15 p.m. Friday.
- More than 3,500 aircraft were in the air when radar and communications systems faltered.
- Albany International Airport had several canceled flights Friday night, with disruptions expected to continue Saturday.
Hochul’s demand concerns Duffy’s role as transportation secretary and the federal management of the aviation system. She said Congress should determine what went wrong and take steps to prevent a repeat of the disruption.
