More than 100 flights were cancelled at Canadian airports on November 15, 2026, following the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nationwide ground stop on November 14 that lasted about five hours. Canadian airports affected included Toronto Pearson International Airport, Calgary International Airport, Montreal-Trudeau Airport, Ottawa, and Vancouver, with cancellations mainly on U.S.-bound routes.
Air Canada Cancels 250 Flights Impacting 27,000 Passengers
Air Canada cancelled roughly 250 flights on November 14, affecting approximately 27,000 passengers, according to spokesperson Yasmine Mehdi. Toronto Pearson International Airport reported 143 U.S.-bound flight cancellations on November 14 and 63 on November 15. Additional cancellations occurred on November 15 at Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Calgary
airports.
To aid stranded travelers, Air Canada added extra flights, and WestJet and Porter offered free flight changes during recovery. Mehdi described this as a significant disruption with residual cancellations due to crews and aircraft being out of position across networks.
Cause of Ground Stop: Router Installation Failure
The FAA’s nationwide ground stop was caused by telecommunications problems from a new router installation by FAA contractor L3Harris. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated the replaced router flooded other routers in the U.S. air traffic control system, disrupting radar feeds and communications. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford confirmed the ground stop lasted about five hours and was the longest
nationwide U.S. flight shutdown since September 11, 2001.
Duffy noted it is unclear whether the cause was contractor error or hardware failure. Bedford pledged that U.S. air travel would return to normal by the end of November 15.
Passenger Experiences and Travel Delays
Passengers at Canadian airports were stranded for hours, some onboard planes unable to depart. Toronto resident John Jacques, flying from Brisbane, Australia to Toronto via Dallas, Texas, spent 16 hours on one plane and experienced a total journey time exceeding 24 hours. He noted his flight still made the Dallas connection despite delays.
Other passengers faced multiple rebookings and lengthy waits. Maggie
Sepulveda, delayed in Toronto after several flight changes, paid over $250 out of pocket for accommodation and meals; some airlines, including Air Canada, declined to cover overnight hotel costs for certain passengers, such as one affected at Calgary. Passengers expressed frustration over uncertainty and travel disruptions.
Recovery Timeline and Ongoing Impact
The U.S. air travel system showed signs of recovery on November 15, though more than 100 Canadian flights were cancelled that day as residual effects persisted. FAA Administrator Bedford said the schedule was expected to normalize by the end of November 15. Canadian carriers continued operating additional flights and allowing free changes while managing
displaced travelers across major hubs.
