The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) around 2:00 PM local time on August 6, 2026, due to a regional equipment outage. This prompted partial suspension of operations at MSP and contributed to delays across the Midwest.
Flight Disruptions at MSP and Regional Airports
Departures at MSP were halted during the ground stop, with only limited arrivals allowed. The outage also affected flights to and from other regional airports, including Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Duluth International Airport (DLH). Some Delta Air Lines flights into Duluth experienced disruptions linked to the ground stop at MSP.
Operational Resumption and Official Advisories
The Metropolitan Airports Commission
announced that airlines began resuming some operations at MSP and surrounding airports at approximately 4:15 PM local time. The commission indicated flight activity could continue to recover throughout the evening but cautioned that impacts might persist. Passengers were advised to check directly with their airlines for updated flight information.
Sarah Hoodjer, spokesperson for Des Moines International Airport, said, “Des Moines International Airport is experiencing flight delays due to a regional FAA equipment outage affecting air traffic operations. The issue is impacting airports across the region and is outside of the airport’s control.” The Metropolitan Airports Commission added, “Airlines are beginning
to resume some operations at MSP and other airports after FAA equipment outage. Expect some flight impacts to resume through evening as airlines recover. Contact airlines for latest flight status.”
The FAA equipment outage disrupted air traffic control systems across the Midwest, leading to the ground stop and resulting delays. While airlines started recovering mid-afternoon, specific details on the total number of affected flights and the full duration of the outage have not been released.
Passengers at affected airports, including MSP, DSM, and DLH, should anticipate possible delays and operational suspensions and monitor communications from their carriers for the latest
updates.
