A ground stop is currently in effect at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) due to a “regional FAA equipment outage.” Because of the issue, no flights have departed from the airport since 2:30 p.m. local time on Thursday.
When will the ground stop be lifted?
MSP Airport spokesperson Jeff Lea told KARE 11 that the outage is impacting an FAA facility that oversees air traffic operations in the region, affecting MSP and other airports. He said departures from the airport remain paused, while some incoming flights may still be permitted if they were already in the air before the ground stop was issued. Some aircraft may also be diverted to alternate airports.
Cherry Capital Airport, located in Traverse City, Michigan, has also been affected by the outage.
“For those unfamiliar, Minneapolis Center is the FAA air traffic control facility that overseas and manages aircraft traveling through much of the Upper Midwest’s airspace.”
Team Analysis
“A regional FAA equipment outage is impacting flights at MSP. A ground stop is in effect for departures, with some limited arrivals,” MSP Airport said in a social media update. “Contact your airline for the latest flight information.”
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According to CBS News, the ground stop has been extended until 4:15 p.m. for now.
