"May Lose My Mind": Thousands Stuck At US Airports Amid Flight Shutdown

Confusion and panic ensued at airports across the United States late last night after a communications failure forced a rare, brief grounding of all departing flights from the US and stranded thousands of passengers, disrupting their family plans and work journeys.According to the US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the shutdown - the second such since the September 11, 2001 attacks - was a precautionary measure after a telecommunications outage affecting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

It was lifted, and flight operations resumed after a few hours, as the possibility of a threat and a nefarious attack was ruled out."This isn't another 9/11," he said.However, passengers are still likely to face delays or cancellations as airlines reposition aircraft and crews.At New York's Kennedy Airport, Riley Alexis Holmes had hoped to fly to Oregon in time for her brother's musical closing night.