A ground stop is an air traffic management measure used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily prevent aircraft from departing for a particular airport.
It is typically introduced when there is a safety issue, severe weather, equipment failure or another problem that limits the airport's ability to safely handle arriving and departing flights.
Aircraft that have already landed can usually continue to disembark passengers, while flights due to depart may be held at the gate until the restriction is lifted. In some cases, a limited number of arrivals may still be allowed if air traffic controllers can safely accommodate them.
Ground stops can last from a few minutes to several hours depending on the nature of the disruption, and airlines often warn passengers that delays may continue even after the restriction is lifted as schedules recover.
