The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop for all flights in the United States shortly before 4 p.m. EST on November 13, 2026, grounding aircraft for over four hours due to communications failures at regional air traffic control centers. The ground stop was lifted at 8:15 p.m. EST, but Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) continue to experience significant disruptions for U.S.-bound and inbound flights.
FAA Ground Stop Impact on Canadian Airports
Toronto Pearson and Billy Bishop airports halted all flights to and from the United States during the ground stop. Air Canada and Porter Airlines canceled
all remaining U.S.-bound and inbound flights scheduled for Friday, November 13, 2026. Over 120 U.S. flights scheduled at Toronto Pearson were canceled, with hundreds of delays reported at both airports.
Flown routes that did not require U.S. airspace operated as usual at Pearson during the stoppage. NAV Canada implemented traffic management measures at Toronto Pearson, Montreal Trudeau, Calgary, and Vancouver airports to mitigate the disruption and later lifted these measures around 6 p.m. EST on the same day. Additional staff were deployed at Toronto Pearson, especially in the U.S. departures area, to assist the stranded passengers.
Ongoing Flight Disruptions and Airline Responses
Air Canada stated via
social media at 9:20 p.m. EST that operations would “gradually return to normal,” though delays and cancellations were expected to persist into Saturday, November 14, 2026. Toronto Pearson Airport authorities reported, “U.S. flights arriving at and departing from Toronto Pearson continue to experience disruptions and cancellations as airlines work to restore normal flight schedules.” Billy Bishop Airport noted that while domestic flights were expected to operate normally, transborder flights might still encounter delays or cancellations as U.S. operations stabilize.
Passengers encountered lengthy waits; some spent the night in hotels due to canceled and delayed flights. Passenger Hannah Vollen cited paying
approximately $330 for an unplanned hotel stay after cancellations prevented her travel to Washington, D.C. Another passenger, Corey Venier, remained at Pearson Terminal 3 for eight hours due to his repeatedly delayed flight to Seattle.
Cause of the Ground Stop and Official Statements
The FAA grounded all U.S. flights due to a complete failure of primary and backup communications systems at regional air traffic control centers, an issue described as “extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.” This was only the second nationwide ground stop in the U.S. since September 11, 2001, with the first occurring in January 2023 due to an FAA computer malfunction.
U.S. Secretary of
Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin confirmed there were no signs of any attack related to the FAA ground stop and highlighted the failure of all communication backups. Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon posted on social media that the Canadian government closely monitored the evolving situation and stood ready to support U.S. authorities.
Passenger Experiences and Recovery Efforts
Passengers described confusion and frustration due to limited information during the ground stop. Elementary school teacher Lesley Gosio had her flight to New York City delayed and later canceled, expressing concerns about flying without a clear explanation of the communication failure. Another passenger, Lyle Jakobsen, reported boarding his flight
only to be delayed over an hour on the tarmac as pilots provided updates.
Recovery operations to restore normal flight schedules continue as airlines address the backlog. Toronto Pearson airport advised all passengers to verify flight statuses directly with their carriers before traveling to the airport.
