Flyers at Wilmington International Airport react to delays, cancellations after FAA ground stop

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Travelers at Wilmington International Airport faced hours of delays and cancellations Friday after a Federal Aviation Administration ground stop disrupted flights nationwide.

The ground stop began around 4 p.m. after a communications problem at air traffic control centers, leaving thousands of travelers waiting for updates and scrambling to adjust their travel plans.

Although the FAA later lifted the ground stop, the disruption continued for travelers at ILM, where some passengers were still dealing with the effects Friday evening.

For Ryan Carey, the delays meant potentially missing a weekend trip to New York City, where he planned to meet friends and attend the League of Legends World Finals.

Carey said he was frustrated by the disruption but understood the importance of keeping passengers safe.

“Obviously, I’m not — I don’t want to get on a plane if it’s not safe,” Carey said. “But, like, it is very annoying, a little sadder than anything.”

Carey also said he had not received a notification from Delta about the FAA ground stop. Instead, he learned about the disruption from his mother, who had dropped him off at the airport.

“From Delta, I haven’t gotten a notification that the FAA is grounded everything,” Carey said. “I had to hear that from my mom who dropped me off.”

Other travelers said they understood that airline employees were not responsible for the FAA’s decision.

Dylan Goldstein was supposed to fly home to Salt Lake City on Friday evening after visiting his mother in Wilmington. Instead, he said his flight was delayed and he was rebooked for Saturday morning.

Goldstein said he witnessed passengers becoming confrontational with airline employees, but said frustration should not be directed at gate agents.

“You can’t get mad at the airlines. That’s the biggest thing,” Goldstein said. “I saw a bunch of individuals getting confrontational to the gate attendant, and you just can’t. It’s not their control.”

Despite having to spend an additional night in Wilmington, Goldstein said he was taking the disruption in stride.

“One night longer,” he said. “But either way, I will eventually make it home. There’s nothing wrong with that.”