Calgary International Airport canceled hundreds of flights headed to the United States on Friday, November 13, 2026, following a nationwide ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to a telecommunications failure affecting U.S. airspace. The FAA lifted the ground stop shortly after 7 p.m. local time, but cancellations and delays persisted at Calgary’s YYC airport.
Passenger Experiences During Delays and Rebookings
Many passengers at YYC were informed of delays while seated on planes prepared for departure. Some flights, including one bound for Denver, held passengers onboard for about an hour before requiring them to disembark. Lloydminster resident Naji Zuain was among those affected;
his Denver flight was ultimately rescheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2026. He secured his own overnight accommodations in Calgary after Air Canada declined to cover expenses related to the disruption.
Airline Response and Passenger Guidance
Air Canada confirmed it would not reimburse passengers for costs incurred due to the cancellations caused by the FAA ground stop. Calgary International Airport and airlines urged passengers to monitor the status of their U.S.-bound flights following the lifting of the ban in the evening hours. Operations were gradually returning to normal, though travelers continued to face long waits both in terminals and aboard grounded aircraft.
Local Passenger Perspectives on the Disruption
Passenger
Naji Zuain described the situation as challenging but attributed the cause to factors beyond the airline’s control. He stated, “It’s kind of unfair for them to have to cover each and every passengers’ expenses due to something that was no fault of their own.” He added succinctly about the disruption, “It is what it is.” Other travelers at Calgary International Airport remained uncertain about updated departure times as they waited with luggage in the terminals.
