Hundreds of flights grounded in Southwest

By JEFF WILSON

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – Hundreds of airliners headed to or from the Southwest were grounded today because of repeated failures of air traffic control radar, leaving airports gridlocked and thousands of passengers stranded or delayed.

“I’ve got a grandma dying in New Mexico and I can’t get there,” said a frustrated Davis Hill of Boise, Idaho, as he waited for a connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jerry Snyder said a “national ground stop” was ordered after the computer in southern California handling air traffic control radar failed for a second time. The order meant airliners bound for the Southwest were stopped from taking off at their originating point.

A backup system took over and there were no safety problems for aircraft in the air, Snyder said. Controllers at the Los Angeles Center, where the failure occurred, guide flights over a 100,000-square-mile area from Nevada and Utah out to sea 250 miles.

The radar failure was the result of a computer software upgrade Wednesday night.

“When the systems were being brought back up on line, it failed. It’s not accepting the software,” Snyder said. “It’s worked for 17 other systems but it’s not working in this one.”

There were tense moments for FAA controllers. At one point, there was no more room on the ground at Los Angeles International Airport and flights from Australia, for instance, were sent to Las Vegas.

“It’s been pretty crazy,” said Garth Koleszar, local vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. “Every flight in and out of our sector was affected.”

Asked if there were any safety concerns, he said: “Any time you use a system that isn’t the best that we have, I feel there is a degradation.”

The backup system doesn’t have the automatic feature that passes off planes from one regional controller to another, and requires a controller to manually type the flight information and pass along information by telephone.

The first main computer outage lasted from 6:50 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. PDT, and led to what was called a Tier 1 ground stop, meaning Southern California-bound aircraft west of the Mississippi couldn’t take off.

The computer went down again at 9 a.m. and a Tier 2 ground stop was ordered, halting planes on the ground nationwide.

The computer was restored again at 11:15 a.m. using the old software program, and the FAA ordered the Tier 2 ground stop lifted incrementally throughout the day to meter the flow of aircraft.

“We’re kicking out the departures now,” Koleszar said before noon.

Snyder added: “It’ll be a long time before we get back to normal and fully lift the ground stop.”

The radar system at the FAA’s Los Angeles Center, 60 miles north of downtown in the Mojave Desert community of Palmdale.

“This was a standard upgrade. It was new software. Something is corrupting the system,” Snyder said, adding, “There was nothing wrong with the old software.”

Southwest Airlines canceled 70 flights, airline spokesman Melanie Jones said from Dallas. Other flights experienced delays of up to four hours.

“Right now, it doesn’t look like I’ll get home until tomorrow,” said Alan Verpy, who was waiting for a flight to Minneapolis. He was stranded along with hundreds of other Los Angeles travelers who appeared resigned to their plight.

San Francisco International Airport spokesman Ron Wilson said about 20 flights were grounded there during the first outage.

United Airlines canceled at least 32 flights into and out of San Francisco.

At least 40 flights were grounded in Las Vegas during the first outage, said Hillary Gray, spokeswoman at McCarren International Airport. Departure delays continued for hours, she said.

Wilson, Jones and Koleszar said it would take all day to return to normal.

Copyright ©2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

South County Fire plans push-in ceremony for newest fire engine

Anybody who attends will have the opportunity to help push the engine into the station.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas talks to the crowd about the new "Imagine Monroe" city flag and symbol before the ribbon cutting on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Monroe, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Monroe unveils its new $17M City Hall and municipal court

Mayor Geoffrey Thomas showcased the new campus to residents, local and state officials during a celebration Monday.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

National Weather Service issues red flag warning for slopes of Cascades

High temperatures, low humidity and winds are combining for critical fire weather conditions, either “imminent or occurring now.”

Photo courtesy of Graphite Arts Center
Amelia DiGiano’s photography is part of the “Seeing Our Planet” exhibit, which opens Friday and runs through Aug. 9 at the Graphite Arts Center in Edmonds.
A&E Calendar for July 10

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Lynnwood
Lynnwood child, 4, accidentally shoots mother, father arrested

The child retrieved a loaded firearm from his father, who was asleep at the time, South County deputies said.

Opponents of President Donald Trump’s executive order indefinitely halting refugee resettlement in the U.S. rally on the steps of the federal courthouse in Seattle on Feb. 25, 2025, after a judge issued a ruling blocking the president’s order. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)
Refugees from travel ban countries must be allowed to enter US, Seattle judge rules

It’s the latest twist in the legal battle over President Trump’s attempt to block refugee resettlement.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.