Flights across the country were ordered grounded Friday afternoon after a major air traffic control communications failure prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an extraordinary nationwide ground stop.
The FAA issued the emergency order around 4 p.m. EST, directing all departing aircraft to remain on the ground until further notice.
The agency cited “extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety” as it scrambled to investigate communications problems affecting air traffic control centers nationwide.
“Inbound international flights will be managed on a case-by-case basis,” the FAA said.
COMMUNICATIONS BREAKDOWN
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the sweeping shutdown followed communications issues affecting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers, which oversee aircraft traveling across the country.
“FAA technicians are investigating the issue,” Duffy said. “We will provide immediate updates as we have them.”
The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 13, 2026
A source told the New York Post that an upgrade to new software may have triggered the disruption, although officials have not confirmed the cause.
The ground stop prevents aircraft from taking off but does not prohibit planes already in the air from landing.
ONLY THE THIRD TIME IN HISTORY
Nationwide ground stops are extraordinarily rare, with just two previous instances in modern American aviation history.
The first came on September 11, 2001, when the FAA shut down civilian air traffic following the terrorist attacks and ordered airborne aircraft to land.
The second occurred in January 2023, when a failure of the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions system brought departures across the country to a standstill.
Friday’s unprecedented disruption threatens to ripple through airports nationwide, potentially affecting thousands of travelers as airlines await clearance to resume departures.
The FAA has not announced when the ground stop will be lifted.
