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By Peter Aitken and Gabe Whisnant
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on its website that Frontier Airlines implemented a ground stop for all destinations due to IT issues, but it lifted the order just a few minutes later.
Why It Matters
The nation's attention was on air travel on Thursday after Wednesday night's deadly crash.
Read More on U.S.
American Airlines Flight 5342, which carried 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with a Black Hawk Army helicopter, which had a three-person crew, on Wednesday while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C. All 67 people are presumed to be dead in the first major aviation disaster involving a commercial aircraft in the United States since 2009.
At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the icy Potomoc River, including those of the three soldiers who were on the helicopter.
Among the plane's passengers were members of the Skating Club of Boston who were returning from a development camp that followed the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said at a press conference Thursday morning that authorities "don't believe there are any survivors."
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What To Know
Frontier Airlines drew attention after issuing a ground stop for all flights on Thursday afternoon. After a short break, around 6 p.m., the ground stop was lifted, according to the FAA.
Denver-based Frontier Airlines told Newsweek in a statement: "Our Systems Operations Center experienced a short internet outage that caused us to initiate a brief ground stop, which has since been lifted. The ground stop was in place for approximately 20 minutes."
According to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), a ground stop is when air traffic control requires "aircraft that meet specific criteria to remain on the ground at their origination airport."
"The [ground stop] may be airport specific, related to a geographical area, or equipment related," the NBAA website stated, adding that "ground stops are considered to be the most restrictive of" traffic management tools.
The quick reaction and attention to the brief pause underscores the anxiety around unusual activity around airlines at this time.
As of January 2025, Frontier Airlines operates 159 aircraft — just over half as many as JetBlue's 290 aircraft, still significantly less than Spirit Airline's 212 aircraft, and a fraction of American Airline's 978 mainline aircraft.
What Happens Next
The public and officials will remain sensitive to airline irregularities in the near future. However, Frontier Airlines has resumed normal service.
The search and recovery effort to find the remaining passengers aboard the crashed American Airlines flight continues. Both the NTSB and the Pentagon have launched investigations into the crash.
Update, 1/30/25 at 7:27 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and context.
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