US transportation secretary: Air travel fully restored, no signs of cyberattack

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has confirmed that air travel operations have fully returned to normal, denying any indications that airport systems were targeted by a cyberattack. He explained that the disruption, which caused flight delays, was linked to the transition from legacy communication systems to modern ones.

Duffy stated that around 500 aircraft were airborne at the time airports were halted, noting that the issue resulted from a technical fault during the switch between old and new systems, not from a cyberattack, according to the department's assessment.

The secretary added that the department has succeeded in replacing 69% of outdated communication equipment, but still needs to upgrade systems that have been in use for nearly 30 years to ensure the continued development of the technical infrastructure managing air traffic.

Duffy called on Congress to provide the necessary funding to complete the modernization of air traffic control and communication systems, urging both Republican and Democratic parties to cooperate in securing the required resources. He stressed that the department currently does not receive sufficient funding to complete the upgrade process.