The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enforced a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on August 27, 2026, starting at 9:40 a.m. local time. The stop was expected to remain through at least 10:00 a.m. Flights at Newark were projected to face average delays exceeding one hour after the ground stop is lifted.
Delays and Cancellations at New York Airports
Severe thunderstorms also caused a ground delay at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), where flights arriving faced average delays exceeding 90 minutes as of 9:40 a.m. Local data showed 42 cancellations, accounting for 7% of scheduled flights, and 101 delays that affected 18% of flights at LaGuardia on
August 27. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), despite having no ground stop, reported 19 cancellations and 48 delays on the same day.
National Flight Disruptions and Airline Responses
According to FlightAware data timestamped at 9:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the storm system caused a nationwide impact with 1,522 total flight delays and 172 cancellations across U.S. airspace on August 27, 2026. Multiple major airlines operating out of the New York area issued flexible travel waivers for flights scheduled on August 27, permitting passengers to change or rebook without incurring change fees or fare differences.
The FAA ground stop and accompanying delays stemmed from severe thunderstorms
disrupting operations at Newark and surrounding New York City airports. The storm system caused cascading delays and cancellations throughout the region, affecting flight schedules at Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK.
