The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued ground stops on July 27, 2026, at Newark (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA), and John F. Kennedy (JFK) airports due to staffing shortages and severe weather at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center.
According to FlightAware data, around 500 inbound flights were delayed by more than one hour at these three major airports as of 4:30 p.m., with about 80 inbound flights cancelled. Over 300 departing flights from the New York City area also experienced delays. The FAA lifted the ground stops later that day after staffing constraints began to ease.
FAA Statement and Flight Impact
An FAA spokesperson
attributed the ground stops and flight slowdowns to a combination of severe weather and staffing shortages at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center. No additional details were provided on the origin of the staffing shortfall.
Inbound flights to Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK were delayed well beyond one hour, and outbound flights faced disruptions as well. The FAA’s ground stops were a temporary measure to manage air traffic flow while addressing these operational challenges.
