US flights updates: Passengers at UK airports face delays after FAA ground stop

Detailed summary

A nationwide ground stop affecting departing flights across the US has been lifted after almost five hours - but UK passengers still face disruption today

Passengers flying to and from UK airports face major disruption this morning after flights were grounded across the United States for about five hours.

Manchester Airport has warned that three US-bound Virgin Atlantic flights scheduled to leave this morning (Saturday) are likely to be affected. London Heathrow's website says 8.20am flight to Dallas Fort Worth had been cancelled, along with a number of incoming flights from the US.

Nearly 10,000 flights to and from US airports have been cancelled through Saturday, according to tracking website Flightradar24. It reports that Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have each cancelled more than 2,200 flights. United has cancelled 1,800 and Southwest nearly 1,400.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the dramatic step to ground all flights from about 9pm UK time was taken due to "extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety".

US Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Sean Duffy, said the order came "following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers".

Nearly 10,000 flights to and from US airports have been cancelled through Saturday, according to tracking website Flightradar24.

It reports that Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have each cancelled more than 2,200 flights. United has cancelled 1,800 and Southwest nearly 1,400.

American Airlines has cancelled thousands of flights(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Thousands of flights were disrupted across the United States after a technical failure affecting the country's air traffic control system forced the FAA to issue a nationwide ground stop.

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