A ground stop hit Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) on Thursday, August 6, 2026, after a regional FAA equipment outage disrupted air traffic control. The stop was lifted by late afternoon, but flight delays continued into the evening.
What Happened at MSP Airport
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at MSP around 2 p.m. CT on August 6. The order affected all departing flights, and only a limited number of arrivals were allowed to land. Airport officials said the issue was tied to a regional FAA equipment outage, not a problem at the airport itself (KARE 11).
What Caused the Outage
MSP Airport spokesperson Jeff Lea explained that the outage hit an FAA air traffic control center that manages traffic for the wider region, not just Minneapolis. This is why airports beyond MSP also felt the effects of the disruption (KARE 11). Aviation writer Kyle Potter reported that the trouble traced back to a single FAA facility in Farmington, Minnesota, known as ZMP, and that the outage appeared to be a network issue rather than a hardware failure at the airport (Bring Me The News).
Flights Affected by the Ground Stop
All departures from MSP were held on the ground during the outage, while arrivals were limited to aircraft that were already airborne before the stop began. Some inbound flights had to be diverted to other airports instead of landing at MSP (ABC 6 News). Flights coming from states such as Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin were among those diverted or held during the disruption (ABC 6 News). Passengers on at least one Delta flight sitting on the MSP tarmac were told by their pilot that regional radar coverage was down (Bring Me The News).
Regional Impact Beyond Minneapolis
The outage was not limited to MSP. A traveler stuck on the tarmac at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport reported that the same issue was affecting flights headed toward the Minneapolis region from other parts of the country (Bring Me The News). The Duluth International Airport also confirmed that the ground stop was affecting some Delta flights scheduled to land there (Northern News Now). At the same time, several nearby communities reported unrelated internet outages, including Lakeville, Dakota County 911, White Bear Lake, and Minnesota’s 511 traffic information network, though officials had not confirmed any direct link between these outages and the FAA equipment issue (KARE 11).
Timeline of the Ground Stop
| Time (CT) | Event |
|---|---|
| Around 2:00 p.m. | FAA issues ground stop for MSP departures |
| 3:10 p.m. | Reports of the ground stop spread on social media |
| 3:30 p.m. | FAA advisory rates the chance of extension as “medium” |
| 4:15 p.m. | Metropolitan Airports Commission confirms airlines resuming operations |
| Evening | Residual delays continue as airlines recover |
This timeline is based on reporting from local news outlets covering the event as it developed (CBS Minnesota).
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When the Ground Stop Was Lifted
The Metropolitan Airports Commission announced around 4:15 p.m. that airlines were resuming some operations at MSP and other airports in the region. Officials warned that flight delays would likely continue through the evening as airlines worked to recover their schedules (CBS Minnesota).
Effect on Flight Delays
Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed that departure delays at MSP averaged around 45 minutes during the outage, with wait times continuing to rise as the ground stop remained active (Star Tribune). Passengers already on planes at the gate or on the tarmac were told to wait for updates, since many aircraft could not push back or take off until the FAA lifted the order (Bring Me The News).
What Travelers Were Told to Do
MSP Airport advised passengers to contact their airline directly for the latest flight information rather than relying on general airport updates, since delays and cancellations varied by carrier and route (KSTP).
Similar FAA Equipment Outages at Other Airports
MSP is not the only airport that has faced this kind of disruption. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport experienced a similar ground stop after a runway equipment outage, which the FAA said was affecting arriving flights until technicians resolved the issue (WSB-TV). These events point to a broader pattern of aging FAA infrastructure causing periodic disruptions at major U.S. airports.
Quick Facts Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Airport | Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) |
| Date | August 6, 2026 |
| Cause | Regional FAA equipment outage |
| Affected FAA facility | Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZMP), Farmington, MN |
| Departures | All halted during the ground stop |
| Arrivals | Limited, some diverted |
| Ground stop start | Around 2:00 p.m. CT |
| Ground stop lifted | Around 4:15 p.m. CT |
| Average departure delay | About 45 minutes |
FAQ: “MSP Airport”
Q1: What happened at MSP Airport today?
Q2: What caused the MSP ground stop?
A: A spokesperson from MSP Airport said the issue was related to a regional FAA air traffic center equipment outage, causing a ground stop for all departing flights, with arrivals also limited. Reports indicated the problem stemmed from a key FAA facility in Farmington, MN, known as ZMP, rather than an issue at the airport itself.
Q3: When did the MSP ground stop start and end?
Q4: Are flights still delayed at MSP after the ground stop was lifted?
Q5: Did the outage affect other airports besides MSP?
A: Yes – flights from other Midwestern states headed to MSP, including parts of Iowa, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, were being diverted or held due to the outage. Officials at Duluth International Airport (DLH) also said the ground stop could affect some Delta flights into that airport.
