Nationwide ground stop continues to impact travelers at DC-area airports

Breaking right now at 8 on Fox 5 News on the Plus. Air travelers stranded tonight, impacted by an hours-long nationwide ground stop. We're taking a live look at the White House press briefing room right now where we're expecting President Trump and also the Department of Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, and maybe the DHS Secretary to step up to that podium. I mentioned the DHS Secretary because earlier... In this ground stop, this nationwide ground stop, Mark Wayne Mullen said that this was nothing nefarious, that the FAA was blaming communications issues for this nationwide ground stop here that's impacting so many airports across the country, including our own. We have team coverage for you tonight. Leading us off is Shamari Stone at Reagan National Airport. Shamari, how's it looking there? Well, Kenneth, this is affecting hundreds of people here at DCA, thousands around the country. Now, imagine you're at the airport, right? You checked in and you have your baggage. Well, some bags are on planes and people are here in the terminal waiting, trying to figure out what's next. They've literally been in limbo. There are some people who have been here, I just found out, for literally eight hours. hours now as we come down here this is baggage claim not a lot of people going there right now because flights are not going in and out but over here there's a gentleman his name is Curtis and he has a really interesting story let me tell you why Curtis has his uh girlfriend and they live out here and she is down in Florida right now right And you were supposed to go there tomorrow for a birthday because it's your girlfriend's sister's birthday. Yet you're stuck here. Your girlfriend is still down there tonight. How are you feeling? Uh, I'm a little tired. I've been here all day, so I'm a little tired, a little disappointed, but I'm kind of used to it with the flights. Now, what time did you first arrive here? I first got here around two o'clock. Um, PM, my flight was for three 30 and you've just been waiting and your girlfriend, let me get this right. Oh, wait, this is her guys. This is Jessica. And this is live television. She is in Florida. Now, Jessica, you made it. You have your boyfriend here, handsome guy, he's looking kind of buff, you know, he's been working out, I can tell, and you're just there, what's going through your mind? Tell him and he's going to tell me real quick for our viewers, Go ahead. She said, why are you not here? She's asking why he is not here. This is Jessica. Well, Jessica, I don't know what's going on in terms of this situation. We are waiting for President Trump to give us an update, and I'll let you know that update here on Fox Local. Make sure you download the Fox Local app as well and tell all your friends down in Florida as well. So this is Jessica. She's waiting for you. You're here. Are you optimistic that you're going to be able to make it for your girlfriend's sister's birthday party tomorrow? No, I'm not really optimistic, because last time they said it only lasted two hours. This time it's been way longer than that, so I think I'm not too optimistic, but I booked the flight anyway. All right, well, we'll see what happens. I will be checking in with you. Again, we're waiting for President Trump to give us an update on this situation. As you well know, the last time this happened, we had this happen in 2023, also with September 11th. You remember that, you were telling me, so I just hope things work out and you can get down there. If not, just live stream the birthday, let him take a look. Look at it on, you know, FaceTime or something, because he may not make it. I'm just being honest with you. All right, guys. So there you have it. We're here at DCA. We're waiting for President Trump to give us an update, and we will bring it to you here on Fox 5 as it becomes available. Back to you, Kenneth. All right, Shamari, thank you.