Canceled flights, delayed plans: Sudden nationwide ground stop leaves Jacksonville travelers scrambling for plan b

A nationwide ground stop grounded travel plans for hundreds of people at Jacksonville International Airport on Friday afternoon, leaving passengers frustrated, stranded, and in some cases, turning short flights into long road trips.The Federal Aviation Administration issued the sudden ground stop, triggering a cascade of cancellations. Arrivals and departures boards lit up yellow and red as travelers scrambled to figure out their next move.

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Bob Rutter had just about stepped into the boarding line for his 4:45 p.m. flight to Denver when things changed.“At 4:30 is when all hell broke loose. So we were just about to stand in line to board the flight,” Rutter said.RELATED | Aviation expert breaks down historic ground stop; FAA cites communications failure | FAA lifts nationwide ground stop on flights that halted travel across the USHe had been heading to Denver to check out a house he recently purchased. Instead, he found himself waiting — and eventually heading home.“You take a limo servic