Fourth Major US Air Traffic Control Outage: Is the System Failing?

Denver Air Traffic Control Suffers Fourth Major Outage in Weeks Denver International Airport experienced another major disruption on May 15, 2025, when its air traffic control system failed for up to six minutes. This marks the fourth such incident in the United States in recent weeks, raising serious concerns about the nation's air travel infrastructure. The outage left up to 20 pilots unable to communicate with air traffic control for a period of 90 seconds. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the cause of the disruption. According to a statement released by the FAA, "We are investigating the cause of the outage and are working to restore full communication." The D3List, a podcast focusing on business decisions, had previously predicted such widespread outages, adding a layer of urgency to the situation. The presenter of the video stated, "This is the fourth major air traffic control outage in approximately two weeks in the United States. Air traffic control is failing apart in this country." The FAA has acknowledged that a significant portion of the nation's air traffic control systems are outdated or beyond repair. This raises serious questions about the safety and reliability of air travel in the US. The ongoing outages underscore the critical need for investment in modernizing the nation's air traffic control infrastructure to prevent future disruptions and ensure the safety of air travelers.