Charlotte Douglas Airport ground stop caused major delays and cancellations nationwide before the FAA lifted restrictions Saturday morning.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the ground stop began at 7:35 a.m. and was initially scheduled to last until 9:30 a.m., but it was lifted around 8:47 a.m.
Flights departing from airports in the Northeastern United States — including Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. — as well as Canadian cities like Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto, were held on the ground until the advisory cleared.
The FAA’s 7:52 a.m. update expanded the stop to include more Canadian facilities, citing increasing delays nationwide. Average flight delays climbed to 78 minutes, up from 71 minutes earlier in the morning. Some travelers faced waits of up to 96 minutes.
Charlotte Douglas Airport Ground Stop
Just before 9:30 a.m., Charlotte Douglas International Airport was leading the nation in flight cancellations, with 127 canceled flights reported Saturday alone. That figure marks a sharp rise from 41 cancellations on Friday.
Nationwide, the total number of flight cancellations topped 800, according to tracking data.
The FAA urges passengers traveling to or from Charlotte and other affected airports to check with their airlines for the most recent flight updates. Travelers should expect lingering delays throughout the day as airlines work to re-coordinate schedules.
