by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:20 AM ET, Tue January 3, 2023
A computer glitch caused the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a nationwide ground stop for flights to and from Florida on Monday, causing delays for travelers before the problem was fixed.
According to WFLA.com, an FAA spokesperson said the government agency decreased the number of flights into Florida airspace due to an air traffic computer problem, including at major airports like Tampa International and Miami International.
The computer glitch was caused by a system known as the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM), which is used to control air traffic. The issue forced the FAA to temporarily stop flight traffic into Florida airports.
FAA officials announced they had remedied the issue and normal flight operations were allowed to resume, but several flights around the country-including around 140 at Tampa International-were delayed by several hours.
"The computer issue has been resolved," an FAA spokesperson said. "The FAA is working toward safely returning to a normal traffic rate in the Florida airspace."
Flight disruptions have marred the winter holiday travel period, with Southwest Airlines making headlines with thousands of delays and cancellations during one of the busiest times of the year.
The airline's Chief Commercial Officer Ryan Green issued yet another apology earlier this week and provided new resources for travelers to receive refunds, rebook their canceled flights or find their lost luggage.
The new resource is available on Southwest's website and offers an easy way to request a refund, by submitting a short form that includes the reservation confirmation number of the canceled flight and first and last name. Another form is available under FAQs for lost luggage.
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