Particle.news
Download on the App Store

FAA Extends Evening Ground Stop at O’Hare as Severe Storms Snarl Air Travel

The moves aim to prevent a surge of planes into an airport with reduced capacity.

Overview

  • The FAA ordered a new ground stop for arriving flights later Thursday and extended it after severe storms moved into the Chicago area.
  • The FAA also set an arrival ground delay through the night, with average departure waits to Chicago near 200 minutes due to the weather.
  • In the morning, a separate ground stop held some departures for hours, and other flights were managed under a ground delay program into the evening.
  • The National Weather Service warned of a late-day severe threat that includes possible tornadoes, large hail, and wind gusts up to about 80 mph.
  • A ground stop keeps departing planes at their origin so fewer arrive when capacity drops, which can ripple across the national network and disrupt travelers’ plans.