The US Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday, 13 November 2026, at about 15:54 EST (20:54 UTC). The order followed an earlier halt in Chicago after air traffic control communications problems.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the communications issue affected all US Air Route Traffic Control Centers and that FAA technicians were investigating. The underlying cause has yet to be announced.
The order halted departures from US airports. Aircraft already airborne could still land, and inbound international flights were being handled case by case. This was the first nationwide US departure halt since January 2023.
Latest verified status: The FAA’s initial instruction was to hold departures until further notice. We found no confirmed lifting of the order or nationwide delay and cancellation totals in the available reports.
Sources: reuters.com, US politics live