Bloomberg Television8 min
LaHood Says Antiquated FAA System Likely Failed
LaHood, Joe Mathieu, Kailey Leinz
Interview, Press Conference
- Immediate departure to Sarasota is deemed unlikely until at least tomorrow, with a probable delay of a couple of days, prompting recommendations for hotel reservations, car rentals, or automobile travel due to the system being "unlikely" to recover at the current hour.
- Secretary Duffy is expected to be in Virginia at the main FAA hub to identify the problem, having previously made equipment upgrades a priority secured through congressional funding of "millions and billions of dollars."
- A nationwide ground stop initiated by Secretary Duffy based on FAA recommendations involves consultation with the White House and Homeland Security, with no obvious timeline for reversal and predicted effects lasting "days" even if the issue is resolved immediately.
- The cause of the shutdown is characterized as a failure of an "old antiquated system" rather than a software upgrade, a conclusion supported by claims of extensive prior test runs for the new systems.
- Significant disruption is anticipated for "a lot of members of congress" stranded in Washington DC, alongside college football players scheduled for games "tomorrow" who likely will not reach their stadiums.
- While "all hands are on deck" at major airports with staff called back to work, officials assert these facilities have the capacity and training to handle the situation safely.
- Safe landings are predicted for flights already in transit to Sarasota, as well as international flights entering Kennedy, New York, and Dulles, with no expected concerns regarding their arrival.
- Congress is guaranteed to address the situation next week as constituents report issues, with Secretary Duffy expecting their attention to be drawn by these reports.