US FAA nationwide ground stop affects 1.5 million passengers due to communication issues

The United States Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop for departing flights on Friday, November 13, 2026. The disruption, caused by communication issues, lasted for more than four hours. The ground stop began at 3:54pm Eastern Time and was lifted at 8:15pm Eastern Time. This event affected all 22 air route traffic control centres in the United States.

The disruption had a significant impact on travelers, affecting approximately 1.5 million passengers. Data shows that the incident resulted in more than 10,000 delayed flights and at least 4,000 cancelled flights. While some reports suggest the number of cancelled flights could be as high as 7,000, officials have confirmed a minimum of 4,000 cancellations. JetBlue cancelled its remaining Friday evening flights, with the exception of Europe-bound services departing from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Boston.

Causes and official responses

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the problem was caused by aging infrastructure and routers being overloaded with data. The failure occurred within the communication systems used to manage air traffic. US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated there was no evidence of a cyberattack or deliberate threat and noted that everyone is safe.

This incident marks the first nationwide suspension of US departures since January 2023. It is also the second nationwide suspension of US departures since the September 11, 2001, attacks. The FAA and the White House have requested an additional $30.1 billion from Congress to address aviation issues. This follows a previous approval by Congress in 2025 for $12.5 billion to update the communication systems of the FAA.

Aviation infrastructure and context

The aviation sector has faced challenges including staff shortages following layoffs under the Trump administration. Additionally, the United States relies heavily on air travel for interstate travel due to a lack of a modern rail network like Europe or China. The FAA had previously stopped flight traffic in Chicago due to communication issues.

The scale of the disruption highlights the reliance on these systems, as there were 4,042 flights in the air when the ground stop was ordered. While the exact number of scheduled departing flights varies between 10,000 and 11,000 according to different reports, the impact on the national travel network was widespread across all 22 control centres.

Glossary

• ground stop — A ground stop or ground delay is an action issued by the FAA. It can be issued due to an equipment outage.
• John F. Kennedy International Airport — John F. Kennedy International Airport is located in New York (JFK).
• White House — The White House is a location in Washington, D.C. where bilateral meetings are held.