The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13, 2026, lasting about four hours and ending just before 7:30 p.m., grounding departures across the United States due to instability in its aging communications and radar systems. This failure prompted widespread disruption at Chicago’s two main airports, O’Hare International and Midway International, as flights were halted while airlines scrambled to recover operations.
Flight cancellations and delays at Chicago O’Hare and Midway
As of 1:43 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, Chicago O’Hare had recorded 605 flight cancellations, while Midway accounted for 72 cancellations. Average delays on that day reached 28 minutes at O’Hare and 23 minutes
at Midway. The disruption lingered overnight, with Midway experiencing an average delay of 65 minutes Saturday night and at least three flights canceled for Sunday morning departures.
Traveler experiences during the FAA ground stop
Thousands of passengers faced extensive delays and cancellations, leading to overcrowding and long waits for luggage and transportation near the airports. Vivian Azeredo, a passenger on a canceled flight to Dublin, Ireland, reported losing contact with the tower mid-flight and enduring 6.5 hours on the tarmac. Another traveler, Stephanie Hugel, had been stuck at Midway since 5 a.m. on November 14, missing her connecting flight by two minutes and spending the night at
the airport. Passengers like Gerard Hill expressed frustration over the unclear communication about the FAA system failure, while Dan Throm of Appleton, Wisconsin, awaited luggage recovery at O’Hare amid a protracted delay.
Official explanations on FAA system failure
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the nationwide ground stop to a failed upgrade of the FAA’s outdated communications system, emphasizing that it was not caused by a cyberattack. Duffy confirmed radar instability and communication overload triggered the shutdown. University of Illinois expert Dr. Sheldon Jacobson noted that while multiple safety layers exist, a malfunction in one can cause significant nationwide disruption. Chicago’s Department of Aviation clarified that no
city infrastructure was involved in the affected FAA systems.
Broader operational consequences and international effects
The FAA ground stop’s ripple effects extended internationally. Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency implemented temporary restrictions as a precaution, and Air Canada canceled flights between Canada and the United States. Canada’s Civil Air Navigation Service confirmed no impact on Canadian air traffic. Flights departing for Europe resumed earlier due to the use of different air traffic control systems. On the domestic front, the disruption forced rescheduling of college football games. Mississippi’s matchup against Oklahoma moved from Saturday to Sunday, while the SEC, Big Ten, and Big Twelve conferences delayed kickoff times
to accommodate flight delays. Some teams opted for bus travel rather than risk further air travel disruptions.
Ongoing recovery efforts and persistent disruptions
Despite resumption of flights after the FAA ground stop lifted, airlines continued to manage backlogs of unaligned crews and displaced planes throughout Saturday. Delays at Midway increased late into the evening, and cancellations persisted into Sunday morning. Passengers expressed exhaustion and frustration after extended waiting times. Johnny Barginear noted delays pushing back flights but appreciated finally returning home, while Tom McDonald urged unity to end the disruption regardless of political considerations.
