Flights at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field faced major disruptions on Friday due to a problem with local telephone equipment, not related to FAA systems, federal officials said. The issue caused hundreds of delays and cancellations at two of the busiest airports in the area.
By late Friday afternoon, nearly 700 flights at DFW were delayed, with around 200 canceled, while Love Field saw about 160 delayed flights and one cancellation. All flights at both airports were halted for more than an hour at one point.
The Federal Aviation Administration said they slowed air traffic at both airports while the telephone company worked to fix the problem. A ground stop was put in place for American Airlines at DFW, and other flights were held for more than an hour. Departures from Love Field were running roughly 30 minutes late on average.
Officials from Love Field mentioned they were in close contact with the FAA and other partners to reduce the impact on travelers. American Airlines noted the issue involved the telecom provider that supports the air traffic control facility overseeing the Dallas-Fort Worth airspace.
FAA representatives made clear that this disruption was not related to the aging equipment air traffic controllers use or the nationwide controller shortage, the factors blamed for earlier flight problems at Newark Liberty Airport this year. While the federal government is investing billions to upgrade air traffic technology and hire more controllers, those efforts will take several years to finish.
For now, travelers flying through Dallas are advised to check their flight status and prepare for possible delays as crews work to restore normal operations.