The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a nationwide ground stop on November 13, 2026, lasting approximately five hours and halting all flights departing the U.S. The disruption was caused by FAA contractor L3Harris’ replacement of a router, which flooded other routers in the air traffic control system, resulting in communication and radar failures. This marked the longest nationwide flight shutdown in the U.S. since September 11, 2001.
Flight Cancellations Across Canadian Airports
Canadian airports experienced cascading effects from the FAA ground stop, with major disruptions to U.S.-bound flights. Toronto Pearson International Airport cancelled 143 U.S.-bound flights on Friday, November 13, and 63 more on
Saturday, November 14. Air Canada alone cancelled roughly 250 flights on Friday, impacting about 27,000 passengers nationwide. Additional cancellations also occurred on Saturday at Montreal-Trudeau, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Calgary airports.
Passenger Disruptions and Delays
Passengers faced extended delays and cancellations with some stranded in airports or on parked aircraft for hours. A notable example included a traveler who spent 16 hours on a plane and experienced a total journey lasting over 24 hours. Many passengers incurred out-of-pocket expenses for accommodation and meals due to repeated cancellations. Airlines including Air Canada and WestJet responded by adding extra flights and offering free flight changes to affected
customers.
Official Responses on Cause and Impact
Air Canada spokesperson Yasmine Mehdi described the situation as a “significant disruption,” noting the continuation of cancellations on Saturday was due to aircraft and crews being out of position across airline networks. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said U.S. air travel schedules were expected to normalize by Sunday night. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy identified the root cause as a faulty router replacement performed by FAA contractor L3Harris that disrupted the national air traffic control system’s communication.
Passenger Accounts of the Disruption
Travelers expressed frustration and fatigue from the extended delays. John Jacques, a passenger stranded in Brisbane, Australia, said, “When you’re on the opposite
side of the world it’s just about the last thing you would expect.” He spent 16 hours on a delayed flight to Dallas before making a connection to Toronto. Another traveler, Maggie Sepulveda, reported that multiple flight changes forced her to pay over $250 for last-minute accommodation and food while stuck at Toronto Pearson. She stated, “I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to get out tonight, and I’m thankful that I’m safe. Everything happens for a reason.”
Ongoing Disruptions and Airport Warnings
Disruptions continued through Saturday and were anticipated to extend into Sunday as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews. Montreal-Trudeau Airport warned passengers
to expect continued delays linked to the fallout from the FAA ground stop. The cascading operational challenges affected Canadian airports despite the country’s air traffic systems operating normally.
