FAA computer glitch grounds all US flights

All US flights were grounded early on Wednesday as a result of a glitch within the Federal Aviation Administration's computer system.

The FAA ordered airlines to halt all domestic departures until 1400 GMT in order to allow it to "validate the integrity of flight safety information" and restore its Notice to Air Missions system, which alerts pilots of potential hazards along their flight path.

Approximately 1,230 flights within, into or out of the US were delayed, while a further 108 were cancelled, with most delays concentrated along the East Coast of the US.

The FAA said earlier that it was performing final validation checks and reloading the system" but later stated it was "still working to fully restore" the system.

"While some functions are beginning to come back online, National Airspace System operations remain limited," said the transportation agency.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com