Bill Maher Jokes Selma Blair Caused FAA Flight Grounding

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US agency that runs air traffic, ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday, 13 November. Hours later, Bill Maher joked on his HBO show Real Time that actor Selma Blair could be to blame.

A ground stop means aircraft are held on the ground and not allowed to take off. The FAA cited "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety." By 5:15 p.m. Pacific time, the agency had lifted the stop. It had grounded more than 3,500 flights.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy first pointed to "a communication issue impacting all Air Route Control Centers," the regional hubs that guide planes between airports. Duffy later said the root cause was radar "instability." DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no sign yet that the grounding was a deliberate attack.

Maher's joke was aimed at Blair, who was charged with assault last month. Prosecutors allege she tried to open a plane's exit door in mid-flight. She is also accused of punching one airline employee and biting another. Blair has apologised, and the legal case is ongoing.

The joke and the ground stop have no link. The FAA and the transportation department have described equipment and communication problems. Maher's remark was a comedy bit on a late-night talk show, and it did not come with any evidence.

For travellers, the practical story was the delay. Thousands of flights were held while controllers worked to restore their systems, and the stop was lifted the same day. The FAA has not said whether a full report on the radar problem will be released.