The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed ground stops at Newark, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy airports on Monday, July 27, 2026. The FAA was responsible for imposing and lifting the ground stops at these three major New York-area airports.
Staffing Issues and Severe Weather Slow Flights
An FAA spokesperson confirmed that severe weather and staffing shortages at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center caused the FAA to slow flights into Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK airports. Staffing shortages at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center were a primary cause for the ground stops imposed.
Flight Delays and Cancellations Impact Hundreds
FlightAware data showed about 500 delayed inbound flights and approximately
80 cancellations at Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK as of 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 27, 2026. More than 300 outbound flights from the New York City area were also delayed on Monday.
Flights were delayed well over an hour and these delays were expected to continue into late Monday night, affecting arriving and departing passengers at the three airports.
Following improved staffing levels, the FAA lifted the ground stops at Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK later Monday. Air traffic operations began returning toward normal after the ground stops caused by staffing shortages and severe weather conditions.
