‘Chaos’: FAA grounds flights nationwide amid 'extraordinary circumstances'

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop Friday, halting flight departures across the United States amid serious air traffic control communications problems.

The FAA cited “extraordinary circumstances” and “reasons of safety” and directed all departing aircraft to remain grounded until further notice. Inbound international flights would be handled on a case-by-case basis, CNN reported.

“It means chaos,” CNN’s Richard Quest said, warning of widespread disruptions for passengers already aboard planes or preparing to depart.

The disruption appeared to involve communications systems used by air route traffic control centers, although the full extent of the problem was not immediately clear.