Brooks Nader’s Friday trip from New York to Louisiana came to an abrupt halt when the Federal Aviation Administration issued a rare nationwide ground stop. Nader, 29, remained aboard a private aircraft on the tarmac as departing flights were stopped across the country, as reported [1] by Page Six.
The “Baywatch” star had reportedly been preparing to leave New York for Louisiana when the FAA sent out its unusual alert. She was scheduled to attend the LSU football game, but the communications disruption left her travel plans uncertain.
According to TMZ, the “Love Thy Nader” personality was “literally about to take off” when the ground stop was announced. The outlet reported that her aircraft was still on the ground after the FAA halted departures.
TMZ said Nader was “safe” but stranded on the tarmac. Pilots had not provided any updates, and the outlet reported that her flight was not likely to depart that evening.
Nader offered followers a glimpse of her situation through an Instagram Stories post on Friday. In a selfie that appeared to have been taken aboard the private jet, she flashed a peace sign while teasing her scheduled appearance in Baton Rouge.
The post came as uncertainty surrounded her departure from New York. Although Nader appeared ready for the journey, the nationwide order prevented the aircraft from leaving as planned.
Fitness model Jen Selter had a different experience because her flight departed before the alert was issued. Selter told TMZ that she was already in the air after her aircraft managed to take off one hour before the ground stop.
Selter said there was confusion and chaos as news of the FAA action unfolded. Despite that atmosphere, she described her own flight as calm and said the pilot continued to provide passengers with updates.
According to Selter, the pilot handled the developing situation in an “extremely calm and professional” manner. She also told the outlet that the passengers aboard her flight remained calm as they received information.
A representative for Nader did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment on Friday afternoon. With no update from the pilots cited by TMZ, it remained unclear when her flight might leave the tarmac.
The nationwide ground stop resulted from a communications issue affecting air traffic control centers across the United States. The FAA’s order left travelers stranded in various locations around the country while departing flights remained halted.
Nader’s tarmac ordeal followed several other unfortunate incidents involving celebrities and air travel in recent months. Those episodes included an arrest, a private jet leaving a runway and one passenger’s foot becoming the target of a social media prank.
Last month, “Legally Blonde” actress Selma Blair, 54, was arrested following an alleged meltdown aboard a flight. Her representative described the incident as “a medical emergency,” and the actress later apologized.
In October, Donnie Wahlberg dealt with another alarming aviation incident after his private jet skidded off a runway in Las Vegas. Wahlberg said he was “thankful” to be alive following the episode.
Earlier in November, Jessie James Decker confronted a far smellier situation involving the foot of a nearby passenger. She cheekily sprayed the foot while recording the moment for a video shared on social media.
For Nader, the nationwide disruption arrived just as she was preparing to head to Louisiana for the LSU football game and her Baton Rouge appearance. Her peace sign selfie captured her aboard the aircraft, but TMZ’s report offered little indication that the plane would depart that evening.