Hundreds of US flights GROUNDED due to mass computer outage

Hundreds of flights across the US have been grounded as a result of a glitch with the Federal Aviation Administration’s computer system, according to US media reports.

The Air Traffic Control System Command Center website reads: "The NOTAMS outage continues with no current estimate time of restoration. A hotline has been activated."

Flights are said to be delayed from airports including Tampa, Philadelphia, and Honolulu.

People inconvenienced by delays have taken to social media to vent their fury.

Alexis Uremovich tweeted: "Nationwide FAA computer outage has grounded flights this morning! Here’s hoping we get to Disney!"

Alexander W. Clegg added: "FAA system down nationwide – all flights are grounded indefinitely. Unfortunately that includes mine."

In an update, the Federal Aviation Authority have reported that some functions are coming back online, but operations remain limited.

They said in a tweet: "The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions following an outage.

"While some functions are beginning to come back online, National Airspace System operations remain limited."

The authority confirmed all domestic departures until 9am Eastern Time have been grounded.

They said in a statement: "The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system following an outage. The FAA has ordered airlines to pause all domestic departures until 9 a.m. Eastern Time to allow the agency to validate the integrity of flight and safety information."

In a new update, the FAA confirmed 3,500 flights had been delayed as a result out the outage.

They said in a statement: "3,500 U.S. flights delayed and more than 400 cancelled as a result of the ongoing computer outage affecting flight alert systems. Federal Aviation Administration officials have now ordered all domestic flights in the U.S. to delay departures until 9:30am Eastern Time, 2:30pm GMT."

Following the update, the FAA has confirmed that some services are gradually coming back into place.

They said in a statement: "Normal air traffic operations are resuming gradually across the U.S. following an overnight outage to the Notice to Air Missions system that provides safety info to flight crews.

"The ground stop has been lifted. We continue to look into the cause of the initial problem"