The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted flights nationwide shortly after 3:36 p.m. ET on November 13, 2026, issuing a ground stop that disrupted more than 10,000 flights on November 14. The stoppage affected key hubs including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The ground stop was lifted at 8:15 p.m. ET the same day, but travel delays and cancellations continued the following day.
Communication Failure During Network Upgrade
The FAA attributed the ground stop to a communications failure during routine telecommunications network work. A contractor replacing aging copper wire with
fiber installed a router that flooded other components within the FAA air traffic control system. This flooding led to system instabilities and radar feed disruptions. Officials isolated the affected network, took the faulty router offline, and restarted systems to restore operations.
Officials Detail Impact and Restoration
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that FAA systems resumed full functionality after the troubleshooting measures. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford estimated that of 41,000 flights scheduled for November 14, about 5,000 would be canceled due to residual disruptions. Bedford stated that the worst of the impact was behind as airlines realigned crews and resources to recover. He projected full schedule
integrity could be restored by Sunday evening based on airline input.
Travelers Face Widespread Delays and Cancellations
The November 14 fallout stranded thousands of travelers across the United States as flights were delayed or canceled. Airlines including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Airlines warned customers of ongoing disruptions. Delta advised travelers to reschedule flights for November 16 or later to avoid delays. Airlines worked to reposition pilots, flight attendants, and crews amid continued operational challenges.
FAA Recovery Efforts and Funding Needs
The FAA is actively investigating the root cause of the network failure while ruling out foreign interference, nefarious activity, or artificial intelligence involvement. The agency is pursuing a $50 billion
budget request to modernize its telecommunications infrastructure, which currently relies on management by contractor L3Harris. L3Harris operates the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure that supports approximately 45,000 daily U.S. flights and connects over 4,400 facilities nationwide.
Historical Context of Nationwide Ground Stops
The nationwide ground stop on November 13 marks the second such halt since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the first since January 2023. In January 2023, a nationwide ground stop occurred after a failure in the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system. The current incident highlights ongoing challenges in upgrading the FAA’s decades-old telecommunications systems.
Official Statements on Incident and Recovery
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “We are back
at full operations,” after FAA system restoration. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford commented, “We will still have delays and cancellations today, but that will set us up for full recovery tomorrow.” Bedford also noted, “Based on everything that we’re hearing from our airline partners, they believe that they’ll be able to have full schedule integrity by the close of business on Sunday.”
Delta Airlines, addressing customers via social media, stated: “If your travel plans allow, we encourage you to move your flight to Monday, Nov. 16 or later.”
Uncertainties and Ongoing Investigations
FAA and Transportation Department officials have not publicly identified the specific site of the router failure. They continue to examine whether installation errors or equipment faults caused the communication breakdown. Officials emphasize that no FAA communication facilities completely lost
contact during the incident, but instabilities at 17 of 22 en route centers necessitated the ground stop.
The FAA affirmed no evidence exists indicating foreign threats or criminal intent related to the outage. The agency is coordinating with L3Harris, the contractor responsible for the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure, which plays an essential role in daily U.S. flight operations.
