The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instituted a ground stop at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) on August 6, 2026, around 2 p.m. local time following a system outage at the Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center. The disruption halted arrivals and departures at MSP while air traffic control services were interrupted.
Flight Delays Spread Across Midwest States
The outage affected flight operations not only in Minnesota but also at airports across Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Omaha’s Eppley Airfield in Nebraska experienced numerous arrival and departure delays. However, Kansas City International Airport (MCI) in Missouri reported no delays related to
the outage during this period.
FAA Systems Restored, Flights Resume Amid Ongoing Delays
FAA officials confirmed that their systems were restored later on August 6. The ground stop at MSP was lifted around 4:15 p.m. local time, allowing airlines to begin resuming flight operations. Despite the restoration, delays persisted for several more hours as air traffic gradually normalized.
The affected facility was identified by the FAA as a regional air route traffic control center managing airspace over multiple states, not the local tower at MSP. The FAA has not yet disclosed the reason for the outage.
Travelers flying into or out of MSP and Eppley Airfield encountered delays
and possible diversions. The Metropolitan Airports Commission advised that “expect some flight impacts to resume through evening as airlines recover.” Passengers were encouraged to verify flight status with their airlines before traveling to the airport.
The FAA’s regional control center outage highlights the interconnectedness of air traffic management across the Midwest, disrupting operations in multiple states simultaneously.
