On Friday, November 13, 2026, a significant disruption in air travel occurred as thousands of flights to and from the United States were suspended due to a ground stop order issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The decision came around 4 p.m. and was described by the FAA as a necessary measure due to "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety."
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy later confirmed through a social media post that the disruption stemmed from "a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers." Most airports across the United States reported ground stops, while major airports such as those in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas closed entirely until mid-evening. Flights that were already in the air were allowed to continue to their destinations, though some had to divert to other cities.
The nationwide ground stop order was lifted just before 8:45 p.m., enabling the resumption of regular flight operations across U.S. airports. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin addressed the media from the White House Briefing Room later that evening, indicating that there was no indication of a malicious attack related to the outage. Mullin characterized the situation as "just a telecommunications outage," emphasizing that there were no lives or flights at risk and stating that the FAA acted out of an abundance of caution.
Mullin sought to debunk conspiracy theories regarding the outage, clarifying that it was not connected to a recent global Microsoft outage. He explained that the communication issues were linked to the integration of new technology into the air traffic control system, which overloaded outdated systems and resulted in "intermittent" communications and radar gaps.
Impact on Canadian Travellers
The flight disruptions also impacted travelers in Canada, with four major airports—including Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montreal Trudeau International Airport—suspending flights to and from the United States. NAV Canada, responsible for the nation's civil air navigation system, implemented traffic management measures at several airports, including Toronto Pearson and Vancouver, to safely manage traffic volumes. Air Canada officials confirmed that flights to and from the Caribbean and South America were also affected by the disruptions.
Canada's Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon stated that Ottawa offered full assistance to the U.S. FAA as it managed the situation, including accommodating U.S.-bound aircraft. MacKinnon reiterated Canada's readiness to support its American counterparts.
This incident marked the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. Previously, the last nation-wide ground stop occurred following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Efforts to modernize the outdated technology utilized by air traffic controllers have been ongoing since Congress allocated $12.5 billion to the project last year. The introduction of fiber optic lines to replace old copper wires and the gradual replacement of antiquated radio systems at airports across the country have commenced, although significant work remains. Officials estimate that an additional $30 billion will be needed to complete the technological upgrades, and the White House has begun lobbying Congress for approval of this funding.
Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo noted that the described problem bore similarities to a regional air traffic control communication outage in September, which caused substantial disruptions to flights across the Northeast United States. However, the magnitude of this latest incident was felt nationwide.
With files from Josh Funk, the Associated Press.
