FAA Halts Departures at Casper Airport Following National Communication Glitch

Casper-Natrona County International Airport closed its departures on Friday after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop. The agency cited extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns as the reason for the order.

The FAA stated that all departing traffic must remain on the ground until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed on a case-by-case basis. The alert did not provide additional details beyond the instruction to hold all outbound flights.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X that FAA technicians are investigating a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Duffy said the department would provide updates as the investigation proceeds. The post confirmed the ground stop applied to all U.S. airports.

Katie Reed, communications and air service manager for Casper-Natrona County International Airport, said her team learned of the situation at the same time the public did. She noted that there was no advanced notice to airports. Reed explained that the hold is due to safety measures during communication outages.

Because the order is nationwide, the Casper-Natrona County International Airport is shut down for departures. Reed said that if the FAA orders a stop, the airport must comply. Planes already in the air are likely to land, but no new flights are taking off.

United Airlines posted that flights which departed before the ground stop will continue to their destinations. Reed said the airport typically has eight flights leaving on a Friday. She estimated that three or four were directly grounded, with potential for additional delays.

Reed emphasized that airport staff know as much as the public regarding the order. She asked for patience from passengers and staff while everyone navigates the unknown situation together.