2 Cathay Pacific US flights delayed amid US ground stop

Cathay Pacific stated the flights CX 807 and CX 879 returning to Hong Kong from the United States were delayed, while the airline's remaining flights to and from the US today are currently operating according to schedule.

A glitch in US air traffic communications prompted authorities to temporarily order a nationwide ground stop for all flights.

Microsoft stated a global outage of its 365 services was unrelated to the US nationwide flight grounding.

At Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, large number of passengers were stranded as they monitored the latest flight updates.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that it ordered a nationwide halt to all departures due to special circumstances and safety considerations, before later lifting the ground stop.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated the US air traffic control communications system experienced a serious issue and technicians are investigating the incident, with the cause currently unknown.

Flight tracking websites reported nearly 7,000 flights were delayed and cancelled.

Media reports noted the incident highlights long-standing problems facing the US aviation management system, including staffing shortages and aging infrastructure.