Passengers stranded in Albany after nationwide ground stop

Passengers stranded at Albany airport amid FAA ground stop A nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop caused major disruptions for travelers at Albany International Airport on Friday, leaving passengers stranded and scrambling to make alternate travel arrangements after a telecommunications outage affected FAA communications systems.

The Details

ALBANY, N.Y. (WNYT) — A nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop caused major disruptions for travelers at Albany International Airport on Friday, leaving passengers stranded and scrambling to make alternate travel arrangements after a telecommunications outage affected FAA communications systems.

The ground stop was implemented after a telecommunications outage threatened communications within the FAA while flights were in the air, according to federal officials. Authorities emphasized that the issue did not pose an immediate safety risk to passengers.

For some travelers, the outage created longer-term complications. One passenger flying on Allegiant Air said she’s now stranded here until Monday, since her flight only operates on Mondays and Fridays.

At Albany International Airport, many passengers spent the evening exploring alternate travel plans while waiting for service to resume.

“We were smart enough to make a backup plan, which is critical,” one traveler said. “So we’re still on the original flight, but we got a new flight for tomorrow.”

“I travel a lot and this is something I’ve never experienced,” another passenger said.

The ground stop was lifted around 8:30 p.m. Friday. Effects are expected to last throughout the weekend as airlines try to catch up with delayed and cancelled flights.