The Federal Aviation Administration imposed and later lifted ground stops at Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday, July 27, 2026. The FAA attributed the temporary halt in flight operations to staffing shortages and severe weather affecting the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center.
Flight Delays and Cancellations Scale
FlightAware data reported that as of 4:30 p.m. on Monday, about 500 inbound flights to the three New York airports were delayed, with approximately 80 inbound cancellations. Additionally, more than 300 outbound flights departing the New York City area experienced delays throughout the day.
Causes and FAA Response
The FAA confirmed that
the combination of staffing shortages at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center and severe weather conditions slowed air traffic flow into Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK. The agency did not provide specific details regarding the reasons behind the staffing shortfall at the control center.
Flights destined for the New York City airports faced temporary grounding during the ground stop, affecting both arrivals and departures. Following the resolution of the staffing and weather-related issues, flight operations at the three airports resumed on Monday evening.
