Flight operations at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas were temporarily halted on Monday night following a ground-stop order. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) order, which came amid the US government shutdown, was prompted by staffing issues, according to a notice from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The advisory stated that the order would remain in place from 0101 GMT to 0215 GMT on Tuesday, with a moderate likelihood of being extended, reported news agency Reuters.
The FAA had earlier said that the ground delays could last 40 minutes. The average impact on flights would be of around 90 minutes.
What is a ground-stop order?
A ground-stop order is a safety and traffic management procedure used to prevent overcrowding in the skies or at airports during emergencies or operational constraints. It is a temporary directive issued by the US FAA that halts all aircraft from taking off and, sometimes, from landing at a specific airport or in a particular region.
FAA policy on ground-stop reads: “Ground stop(s) (GS) override all other traffic management initiatives. Aircraft must not be released from a GS without the approval of the originator of the GS.”
