Crime & Safety

Departing Planes Halted at LAX Because of Computer Hitch

Passengers were being advised to check with their airlines about anticipated delays.

Originally posted at 3:23 p.m. April 30, 2014. Edited with new details.

A Federal Aviation Administration computer problem brought takeoffs to a halt at Southern California airports and kept Southland-bound planes on the ground across the nation for about 90 minutes today.

The FAA issued a "ground stop" that kept departing planes on the ground at Los Angeles International Airport, Long Beach Airport, John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and LA/Ontario International Airport beginning shortly after 2 p.m.

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Lines of airplanes stacked up on taxiways at LAX while federal officials worked to correct the "technical issues" that occurred at the FAA's Los Angeles Control Center. Meanwhile, flights bound for Southern California from airports across the country were also ordered to remain on the ground, according to the FAA.

According to LAX, all arriving flights that were in the FAA's Los Angeles airspace when the problem began were permitted to land. About 10 other inbound flights were diverted to other airports, and they were expected to take off and complete the journey to LAX within the next few hours.

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More than 30 flights were held on the ground at LAX while the ground stop was in place, according to the airport.

Airplanes that were already in the air were permitted to land. Some passengers who had already boarded planes at LAX were allowed to return to the terminal while the delays continued.

The ground stop was lifted shortly before 3:30 p.m., and flights were slowly resuming takeoffs. However, the Los Angeles Times reported that the problems wouldn't be fully fixed until midnight.

Airport officials advised passengers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Some delays of more than two hours were being reported at LAX.

--City News Service


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