A No-Go for NOTAMs—Flight Delays Caused by Major Computer Issue

 

Severe weather caused significant flight delays during the holiday season, but with clearer skies, passengers resumed regular air travel until late evening Tuesday, January 10, 2023.

An overnight outage of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Notice to Air Missions System (NOTAMs) grounded thousands of flights in the U.S. on Wednesday morning, causing massive delays. Investigations are underway to determine the root cause of the situation now that the outage is over. Early reports indicate a damaged file may be responsible for the outage, but it does not appear the shutdown was due to a cyberattack.

Are We There Yet’s Grant Harrell, was following the story closely, and provided some context on the NOTAMs situation while flights were still in a holding pattern.

Grants Thoughts:

“Hi, this is Grant with Market Scales transportation, mobility focused video podcast series: Are We There Yet? And the question of the day today, Wednesday, January 11, is a return to normal flight operations after a major computer issue within the systems. Are we there yet? And unfortunately, as of about 9:00 AM central time today, Wednesday, the answer is no, Although the FAA is working very hard to resolve these issues, flights are still grounded and delays seen throughout the entire country.

This is a computer issue within their NOTAM system, which is the notice to air mission system. It keeps pilots and other flight personnel aware of ground and air hazards, things like closed runways, navigational issues, for example and this system is down in causing these delays throughout the country.

Flight aware leading flight tracking service as hundreds of flights grounded throughout the United States. Another source says about 2,500 plus flights in total that have been grounded due to these issues. And everyone within the industry, especially the FAA working very hard one pilot says he’s never seen anything like this happen.

Very much a unique issue. One family, for example, in Hawaii has been on their plane for about five hours now waiting for their flight to take off. So myself and everyone within the industry are very much watching this issue and hoping that things get resolved shortly.”

Article by James Kent

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

data center design
Applied Digital’s Data Center Design for a 100 MW AI Factory Built from the Ground Up
July 2, 2025

AI workloads are redefining the limits of data center design and infrastructure. Legacy data centers, built for traditional co-location, cannot handle the density, thermal demands, or power dynamics of accelerated computing. The AI boom has upended the data center sector, forcing a rapid shift to liquid-cooled racks as facilities pivot from sub-10kW racks to…

Read More
Commerce media
A Look at the Rise of Commerce Media Networks: How Nift Helps Brands Own How Their Message Shows Up
July 2, 2025

As traditional digital advertising struggles to retain consumer trust, brands are exploring new, more authentic ways to connect with shoppers. Platforms like commerce media networks, which weave together commerce, content, and data, are emerging as powerful tools in this shift. Research from MG2 Advisory reveals that only about 37% of consumers feel brands genuinely…

Read More
Hospitality leadership
Heart-First Hospitality Leadership: How Saying ‘Yes’ Transforms Guest Experiences, Boosts Staff Morale, and Drives Business Results
July 2, 2025

As the hospitality industry emerges from years of pandemic-driven upheaval, hospitality leadership is evolving to meet new challenges. Leaders are looking for new ways to retain staff, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive revenue without burning out their teams. One trend gaining traction is the power of “Yes”: empowering employees to say yes more often,…

Read More
civic leadership
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth’s Civic Leadership Journey: What Politics Teaches About People
July 2, 2025

What does a mayor learn about human nature? In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Gerard Hudspeth, longtime mayor of Denton, Texas, and a respected figure in civic leadership. Drawing from his years in public service, Hudspeth explores how leading a city reveals the core…

Read More