The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a ground stop impacting some departing flights at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Diego International Airport on the morning of September 16, 2026. The temporary pause was due to staffing constraints at Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT), the agency said.
Geographic Scope and Traffic Management Effects
The Southern California TRACON radar facility oversees an extensive airspace covering from around 20 miles north of Burbank down to the U.S.-Mexico border and spanning west from the San Bernardino area to Santa Catalina Island. The FAA attributed the ground stop to a traffic management program delaying some arriving flights
within this airspace, which in turn affected departure schedules at LAX and San Diego airports.
Southern California TRACON’s Role in Major Air Traffic
SCT, located in San Diego, manages air traffic for most airports in Southern California, a region known for having some of the busiest airspace in the country. This staffing shortfall at SCT reflects operational challenges in handling the high volume of flights in the area.
The FAA stated that, despite the flight pause, overall operations remain normal at LAX. Travelers and stakeholders can access real-time airport data through the FAA’s official website.
“Because a traffic management program is delaying some arriving flights, departing flight schedules
may be affected. Check with your airline to determine if your flight is affected,” the FAA said in a statement addressing the disruption.
This ground stop on September 16 marks at least the fourth recent staffing-related disruption impacting air traffic management and flight operations at LAX.
