A communications outage in the US had suspended take-offs
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Defimedia, La Nouvelle Tribune, Bénin Web TV, Business News and IOL
The United States suspended all take-offs from its airports on Friday 13 November after a communications outage affecting ageing air traffic control systems. The FAA later authorised a gradual resumption of departures after several hours of interruption, while nearly 6,000 flights were cancelled, according to Business News.
Air traffic resumed in the United States overnight on Friday into Saturday, after more than four hours of suspended departures. The first instabilities had been detected at 3.36pm in several control centres, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who announced the reopening of airspace at 8.15pm Eastern Time.
The outage led to nearly 6,000 flight cancellations, including international routes, as well as thousands of delays. The resumption was to remain gradual, depending on the availability of pilots, crews and aircraft, while passengers remained stranded at airports.
US authorities ruled out any sign of an attack or threat against the country. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, however, said no lead linked the incident to a threat, without definitively ruling out a cyberattack. The FAA has sent its technical teams to pinpoint the cause of the malfunction.
The incident follows two communication outages that had already disrupted traffic at Newark in 2025, one of the main airports serving New York.
