The Federal Aviation Administration issued warnings and planned possible ground stops and ground delay programs at several major Northeast airports on September 26, 2026. Airports included in the FAA’s advisory were John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Reagan National Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport. As of 1:25 p.m. Eastern Time, no active terminal traffic-management programs were in place, but the FAA forecasted possible implementation of these measures through approximately 7 p.m. ET. Weather factors such as rain and wind were impacting Boston Logan, while wind constraints affected
the air traffic management systems for the New York and Philadelphia regions. Passenger volume at JFK prompted the FAA to evaluate the airport after 6 p.m. ET for additional traffic-management intervention.
Airlines Issue Travel Waivers for Northeast Airports
Delta Air Lines provided weather-related travel waivers covering airport operations at JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, Providence, Portland, and Westchester County through September 26 and 27, allowing eligible customers to rebook travel through no later than September 30. For Boston Logan, Delta’s waiver extended travel coverage to September 29 with rebooked travel required to begin by October 2. American Airlines announced a severe-weather alert permitting one-time changes for flights booked
through September 27 at airports including Boston, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, Washington Dulles, and Reagan National based on ticket and rebooking eligibility. JetBlue Airways issued waivers covering flights through September 27 at Boston Logan, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and other Northeast airports, with rebooking available until September 30 under specified conditions.
FAA Traffic-Management Measures Explained
The FAA defined ground stops as traffic-management procedures requiring aircraft to remain on the ground at their departure airports to regulate arrival flow at constrained destination airports. For instance, a flight departing Chicago for JFK may be held at its origin to avoid congestion caused by reduced arrival capacity. Ground
delay programs differ by assigning arrival slots and holding some aircraft at their departure points to pace demand rather than halting all departures. These mechanisms are implemented with minimal warning when weather or passenger volume decreases airport arrival capacity, aiming to prevent aircraft from circulating near busy airports and contributing to delays.
Passenger Impact and Guidance on Travel Waivers
Passengers traveling on September 26, 2026, through the affected Northeast airports faced the possibility of delays and cancellations as ground stops and delay programs could be initiated with little advance notice. Flight status listed as “on time” in early afternoon hours did not guarantee timely departures or arrivals
later in the day. Travelers with flexible schedules were encouraged to monitor airline applications and FAA updates actively to evaluate options under their airline’s travel waiver policies. Airline waivers permit one-time itinerary changes without penalty due to weather disruptions but do not entitle customers to automatic refunds unless flights are canceled or subject to significant delay as defined by Department of Transportation regulations. Customers were advised to verify ticket eligibility and waiver terms before making any flight changes and to observe the operational status of their aircraft, which may offer early indications of potential departure delays.
