More than 100 flights were cancelled across Canada on Saturday, November 15, 2026, as airlines continued to manage delays caused by a five-hour U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nationwide ground stop issued on Friday, November 13. The suspension of all U.S. departures was lifted shortly after 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 13, but its effects persisted into the weekend.
Flight Cancellations at Canadian Airports
Air Canada cancelled approximately 250 flights on Friday, November 13, impacting about 27,000 passengers. Toronto Pearson International Airport recorded 143 U.S.-bound flight cancellations on Friday and 63 additional cancellations on Saturday. Calgary International Airport held U.S.-bound flights for several
hours before the ground stop was lifted and saw multiple cancellations. Montreal-Trudeau, Ottawa, and Vancouver airports also experienced dozens of cancellations on November 14 and continued disruptions on November 15.
Passenger Experiences and Stranded Travelers
Passengers across Canada reported extended delays, with some stranded at airports or aboard grounded aircraft. John Jacques, a Toronto resident delayed in Brisbane, Australia, spent 16 hours onboard a plane en route to Dallas, Texas, before a delayed connection to Toronto. “When you’re on the opposite side of the world it’s just about the last thing you would expect,” he said. Another passenger, Naji Zuain, was seated on a Calgary-to-Denver
flight that was cancelled; he rebooked for a 9 a.m. Saturday departure and noted the unfairness of covering expenses from delays caused by issues outside of passenger control. Maggie Sepulveda, delayed at Toronto Pearson, faced multiple flight changes and paid over $250 out of pocket for accommodation and meals due to cancellations.
Cause of the U.S. Ground Stop
The FAA attributed the ground stop to technical problems triggered by contractor L3Harris during installation of a new router at a remote U.S. facility. The replaced router caused flooding in other routers within the air traffic control system, disrupting communication and radar feeds nationwide. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean
Duffy characterized the incident as resulting from this router issue, marking the longest nationwide U.S. flight suspension since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Airline Response and Ongoing Disruptions
Following the disruptions, Air Canada added extra flights to assist stranded customers. WestJet and Porter Airlines offered free flight changes to affected passengers. Air Canada spokesperson Yasmine Mehdi confirmed the disruption’s magnitude and noted, “This was a significant disruption, and its effects have carried over into today, with additional cancellations as aircraft and crews are out of position across our network.” Montreal-Trudeau Airport also issued warnings about continued operational challenges.
FAA and Official Statements on Recovery Timeline
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford projected a return
to normal U.S. air traffic operations by the end of Sunday, November 15, 2026. Air Canada and other Canadian carriers were still adjusting flight schedules on November 15 and 16 to manage backlog caused by the FAA ground stop. The prolonged impact affected cross-border travel and passenger connections into the weekend.
