FAA Software Issues Could Reportedly Take Years to Update

A new report claims the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) software that caused the nationwide ground stop for flights earlier this week will take years to update.

According to CNN.com, the Notices to Air Missions (NOTAM) was improperly updated by an FAA employee, which caused the system failure that resulted in over 10,000 flight delays and another 1,300-plus cancellations on Wednesday.

Sources told CNN that the software was “30 years old” and would take “at least six years” to update properly. The source said that despite recent improvements, the system “has the heart of an 89-year-old man.”

Despite the long-term process of updating the software, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he wants the FAA to figure out a way to improve the NOTAM database in a much faster fashion.

As part of the FAA’s budget proposal for 2023, the agency requested $29.4 million to improve the Aeronautical Information Management Program, which includes the NOTAM system. Officials said the money would help “eliminate the failing vintage hardware that currently supports that function in the national airspace system.”

As for how each carrier was impacted by the FAA’s system failure, 49 percent of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed, 48 percent for American Airlines, 40 percent for United Airlines, 38 percent for Delta Air Lines and 33 percent for JetBlue.

For impacted travelers, Delta and United are offering a fare difference waiver, which will give customers additional flexibility to change their flights, even if their journey isn’t delayed or canceled.