FAA halts departures at all US airports after communication issues at air traffic control centres

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a nationwide ground stop at all US airports on Friday 13 November 2026, after communication issues affected several of its Air Route Traffic Control Centers, the regulator said in a statement it described as preliminary and subject to change.

The FAA said its technicians were investigating the cause and that it would provide updates. Major US airlines confirmed the effect on their operations the same day. Delta Air Lines said it had paused departures and that none of its flights were departing while the FAA-mandated ground stop was in effect. American Airlines said the FAA had temporarily paused departures nationwide and that it expected schedule disruption for the rest of the day, depending on how long the stop lasted.

Both carriers said flights already in the air would continue to their destinations. Delta issued a travel waiver allowing customers with flexible plans to change their flights without an extra fee, and asked customers to check their flight status in its app or on its website. American said it would get customers moving as quickly as possible once the FAA lifted the stop. The disruption affects passengers flying within, to and from the United States, including connections to Europe and Portugal.

The FAA statement does not give the cause of the communication issues, how long the ground stop lasted or how many flights were affected. Passengers with travel planned in the following days should check their flight status with their airline, and the conditions of any waiver, before going to the airport.