On Jan. 11, all U.S. flights were grounded after a Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) data outage. It’s the first time U.S. air space has been shut down since 9/11. The travel nightmare comes just weeks after Southwest Airlines cancelled thousands of flights due to weather and staffing.
- The outage affected the Notice to Air Missions system, which is a critical system for safety, William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project, said.
- The FAA is underfunded, which causes a lack of safety inspectors and a lack of attention on the IT systems, he stated.
- The American Economic Liberties Project recommends eliminating federal pre-emption for airlines, which says only Congress and the Department of Transportation have oversight of the airline industry, because the DoT has been historically ineffective at regulating the airline industry, McGee explained.
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ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 11: A traveler looks at a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 11, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. The FAA said it is gradually resuming flights around the country after an outage to the Notice to Air Mission System, a computer system that helps guide air traffic. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 30: FAA chief Steve Dickson flies a Boeing 737 MAX, from Boeing Field on September 30, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The flight is a step towards re-certification of the aircraft after the plane was grounded 18 months ago following two crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 people. (Photo by Mike Siegel-Pool/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 27: Travelers search for their luggage at the Southwest Airlines Baggage Claim at Midway Airport on December 27, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. A snowstorm and severe cold front that hit Chicago before the holiday weekend stranded many travelers and their luggage. Southwest Airlines has canceled approximately 5,400 flights in less than 48 hours due to a variety of issues including this year’s historic winter storm and scheduling complications involving crew members. On Monday, Southwest had 10 times more flights canceled than Delta Airlines, which had the second most cancellations nationwide this holiday season. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
