The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop from 2200 UTC on November 13 until 0500 UTC on November 14, 2026, halting all flights across the United States for approximately four hours. This pause was prompted by communications failures at regional air traffic control centers and resulted in roughly 10,000 cancelled flights nationwide. This stoppage marks the most extensive US air traffic shutdown since the 9/11 attacks.
Impact on London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports
London Heathrow Airport reported 31 cancelled flights to and from the US and about 20 delayed departures as of 9:45 AM on November 15, 2026. At Gatwick Airport, three inbound
flights scheduled to arrive from Orlando, Florida at 7:30 AM on November 14 were cancelled. The disturbances reflected the ripple effect of the US air traffic shutdown on transatlantic operations.
Airline Cancellations and Passenger Advisories
British Airways cancelled its New York-bound flight from Heathrow originally scheduled to depart at 10:30 PM on November 13. A spokesperson acknowledged the disruptions were ‘‘entirely outside of our control’’ and encouraged customers to travel to airports as planned to facilitate timely departures. Virgin Atlantic cancelled its Heathrow to New York JFK flight on the evening of November 13 and issued warnings of possible disruptions for three US-bound flights from
Manchester Airport on November 14, advising passengers to monitor flight statuses on their website.
Regulatory and Air Traffic Control Responses
Eurocontrol suspended all US-bound flights departing from its 42 member states, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, and France, between 2200 UTC on November 13 and 0500 UTC on November 14. The organization’s Network Manager Operations Centre actively monitored the situation to inform operators of updates. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) cautioned travelers about ongoing disruption due to rebooking efforts and advised passengers to verify flight details prior to airport travel. Tim Johnson, CAA consumer director, noted follow-on disruption could persist as airlines worked to restore
normal operations.
Official Statements on Cause and Safety
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the airspace was reopened shortly after 1:30 AM GMT on November 14 but warned that disruptions could continue for several days. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin attributed the shutdown to a telecommunications outage that overwhelmed an aging air traffic control system amid the introduction of new technology. Mullin emphasized that no cyberattack occurred and reassured the public about aviation safety. Duffy remarked the outage was unexpected, saying, ‘‘We were able to review what went wrong, and then reboot the system and go. But, you will have more of these.’’ The FAA characterized
the ground stop as necessary ‘‘due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.’’
Passengers traveling from Heathrow and Gatwick to US destinations faced cancellations and delays across the weekend of November 14-15. Heathrow’s live status on the morning of November 15 reflected ongoing disruptions with both cancelled and delayed flights. Gatwick’s cancellations affected incoming flights from Orlando early on November 14. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic urged travelers to check flight information via official channels and travel to airports according to airline instructions.
