Second nationwide ground stop since 2001 halts Nashville flights

Nashville International Airport stopped all departing flights on Friday afternoon after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a rare nationwide halt. The agency cited extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns. This is the second time since the September 11, 2001, attacks that the FAA has issued such a directive. The previous nationwide stop occurred in 2023 following a problem with the national aviation warning system.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained the cause in a social media post. He stated that a communication issue impacted all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are currently investigating the problem. The FAA said it will provide immediate updates as they become available. Inbound international flights are being managed on a case-by-case basis.

The situation at the airport created a quiet atmosphere in the terminals. There was no line for security at BNA. A few travelers walked through the empty stanchions toward the TSA checkpoint. Outside the gates, people sat against walls and partitions with their luggage nearby. Many made phone calls or worked on laptops. Downstairs, the rental car line stretched out to the baggage claim carousels. Customers waited at least 30 minutes to reach the service desk.

Travelers in the rideshare line expressed frustration with the delay. One passenger described the scene as a mess and asked why it was happening. Another wondered if politics played a role. These two travelers were stuck in a layover and had already spent three hours at the airport. Some passengers rescheduled their planned flights to Saturday. They hoped the issues would be fixed by the morning.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Friday that a telecommunication outage caused the issues. He noted there was no indication yet that the stop was a nefarious attack. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the issue. Mullin said authorities are not ruling out anything at this point. He assured people currently on flights that everyone is safe.

After-hours trading showed a financial impact on major U.S. airlines. Shares of American, United, and Delta fell between 1 and 2 percent. Jet Blue shares dropped 3 percent. Southwest Airlines, which has a major focus city and crew base at BNA, saw its shares priced at $44.25. That represents a 1.54 percent drop, or a decline of $0.69, in after-hours trading.