FAA Ground Stop Halts Departures at T.F. Green Airport

Passengers at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport were left scrambling on Friday after a nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop halted all departures.

The sudden disruption stemmed from communication and frequency issues affecting air traffic control towers across the United States. WJAR reported that the FAA directive caused immediate confusion inside the Warwick terminal, leaving travelers and airport workers unsure of their next steps.

“The FAA has declared a nationwide ground stop related to frequency issues with air traffic control,” the Rhode Island Airport Corp. said in a statement. “Like every airport in the nation, PVD is impacted by this ground stop. All departures are halted at this time. Travelers should check with their airlines to fully understand impacts and delays.”

Video Now: Nationwide ground stop impacts TF Green Airport — WPRI

NBC 10 reporters Gene Valicenti and Maddie Heimsch covered the unfolding situation on the ground. Heimsch spoke with travelers heading to Baltimore who were deplaned and told by an airline worker that they faced a wait of at least seven hours before takeoff, leaving them to find their luggage and move through the terminal.

“Everybody’s safe. There’s no reason to be concerned about your loved ones if they’re flying,” Mullin said, adding that there was no indication yet that “this was a nefarious attack against us. It’s just a telecommunications outage.”

While the ground stop paused departures nationwide, operations varied by location. Boston Logan International Airport stated on X that a limited number of international flights were still taking off, while encouraging passengers to check directly with their carriers for real-time updates.