FAA Blames ‘Multiple Failures’ by Provider for Massive DFW, Love Field Flight Chaos
FAA Blames ‘Multiple Failures’ by Provider for Massive DFW, Love Field Flight Chaos
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has identified “multiple failures” in technology provided by Dallas-based internet provider Frontier as the cause of the widespread equipment outage and ground stop that crippled DFW International and Love Field airports on Friday evening, September 19. The disruption led to the cancellation and delay of hundreds of flights, severely impacting travelers.
According to the FAA, the issue stemmed from failures in the TDMI data telecommunications service, which subsequently affected the FAA’s Dallas TRACON facility – a critical control center managing air traffic within a 30 to 50-mile radius and up to 10,000 feet. While operations at both airports have since returned to normal levels, the FAA is actively working with airlines on recovery plans for the multitude of impacted flights.
The outage hit major carriers hard, particularly American Airlines, which operates its central hub at DFW. The airline reported over 530 cancellations on Friday, September 19, and an additional 160 on Saturday, September 20. Love Field, home to Southwest Airlines, also experienced significant delays. The FAA further noted that contractor L3Harris “failed to ensure that redundancies in the system functioned properly.”
This incident has reignited calls for urgent infrastructure upgrades, with the FAA stating, “This is a clear example of the FAA’s outdated infrastructure and underscores the urgent need to modernize our air traffic control systems.” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed these sentiments, highlighting his department’s ongoing plan to overhaul the country’s air traffic control system to prevent future disruptions of this nature.
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