After Unprecedented Crisis: US Aviation Chief Reveals Cause of Airport Paralysis

US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford revealed that the widespread disruptions hitting air travel in the United States were caused by an equipment problem. He explained that the fault may have resulted from improper installation, incorrect configuration, or a failure in one of the network routing devices, while authorities work to determine the exact cause.

Bedford stated that the return of air traffic to normal operations would continue until tomorrow, noting that tens of thousands of passengers were affected by the crisis, which led to the cancellation and delay of thousands of flights.

In a related context, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said there was no need for an investigation into the necessity of upgrading the air traffic control system, pointing out that some of the equipment used in the system dates back to the 1980s.

The statements come after an unprecedented crisis witnessed by US airports, where major airlines canceled more than 3,700 flights on Saturday and delayed around 2,000 others, as part of efforts to recover from the longest nationwide stoppage of flights since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The FAA had issued a decision on Friday to halt aircraft takeoffs nationwide, causing most departing flights to stop for about five hours. This resulted in the cancellation of nearly 10,000 flights and the delay of more than 7,000, marking one of the worst air travel crises in US history.

According to data from "FlightRadar24," Boston Logan International Airport topped the list of the most disrupted airports globally, followed by John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, then Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, amidst flight cancellations and delays, with planes and passengers piling up.

John F. Kennedy Airport recorded 103 cancellations and 17 delays within just two hours on the morning of the crisis day, while major airports continued to face difficulties in accommodating diverted flights and reorganizing air traffic.

United Airlines and Delta Air Lines were forced to suspend departures from O'Hare Airport in Chicago and LaGuardia Airport in New York to allow time to address congestion and boarding gate issues.

For its part, American Airlines announced it was prioritizing international flights and smaller destinations outside its main hubs, aiming to redistribute aircraft and crews, and accelerate recovery from delays.