Frontier Emergency Triggers JFK Ground Stop Amid Shutdown

On Oct. 30, Frontier Airlines Flight 3546 from San Juan declared an emergency after an engine issue and landed safely at JFK with no injuries. The FAA issued a ground stop for departures and held inbound flights at their origins roughly from 12:30 p.m. to about 1:45 p.m., and the A320 was evaluated at the gate. Severe winds and thunderstorms prompted an FAA Traffic Management Program that caused arrival and departure delays at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, sometimes stretching for several hours. The incident came amid broader air-traffic-control staffing shortages tied to the ongoing government shutdown, which has forced ground delays and temporary halts at other U.S. airports and contributed to thousands of recent delays and hundreds of cancellations. FAA and airline officials are investigating the engine problem and are urging travelers to check with carriers for updated flight status.