SEA travelers face cascading delays after FAA systems outage
FAA holds briefing after nationwide ground stop + impacts at SEA airport
US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy holds a briefing on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the FAA issued a nationwide ground stop. Plus, FOX 13 reporter Sam Campbell has the latest on the impacts felt at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
SEATAC, Wash. - A nationwide ground stop ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday afternoon left thousands of travelers scrambling at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport through the weekend.
By Saturday morning, FlightAware had reported more than 100 flight cancellations and another 100 delays at SeaTac. The disruptions created a domino effect into the weekend, forcing some would-be flyers to abandon their travel plans or embark on last-minute, cross-country drives.
FAA attributes outage to faulty systems upgrade
The backstory:
The FAA announced in a press conference that the total ground stop was caused by a faulty systems upgrade.
While SeaTac's security lines moved smoothly on Saturday following the morning rush, the ease of movement was largely due to defeated passengers who simply never showed up to the airport.
Frustrated travelers resort to long drives
What they're saying:
The abrupt cancellations left many passengers seeking extreme alternative ways to reach their destinations. Woodinville resident Dustin Wheeler, a Seattle Seahawks season ticket holder since 2005, opted for a road trip rather than miss a game.
"Obviously Seahawks fans, we’ve had season tickets since 2005 and we’re not gonna miss the Vegas game," Wheeler said. "We said screw it and we’re gonna drive down 17 hours to Vegas."
Other passengers waited hours at the airport only to be turned away. Canyon Stumbaugh, a Coast Guardsman trying to fly home to Miami, arrived at SeaTac at 3 p.m. on Friday. He said he waited until 9 p.m. before American Airlines notified him of his cancellation, just about 15 minutes before his scheduled departure.
For Ballard resident Cortny Roberts, the disappointment came after a brief moment of optimism. She woke up Saturday morning with an on-time flight, only to have it axed shortly after.
"I think I had hope this morning when I woke up and there wasn't any delays or cancellations to my flight, and then it was just canceled," she said. "Most everyone else was traveling yesterday, so it was kinda the last hope."
Check flight status before heading to the terminal
What's next:
The fallout from the ground stop is not over. Delays and cancellations are expected to continue for many airlines throughout the weekend.
Travelers planning to fly out of SeaTac are strongly urged to check in with their airline and verify their flight status before heading to the airport terminal.
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Sam Campbell, who spoke with various travelers who showed up to SEA airport on Saturday seeking updates on their flight after Friday's nationwide ground stop.
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