The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop order at approximately 4 p.m. Eastern Time on November 13, 2026, due to communication problems at U.S. regional air traffic control centers. The order resulted in hundreds of cancellations at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Toronto Billy Bishop Airport, including over 120 U.S.-bound and arriving flights at Pearson alone.
Air Canada responded by cancelling all its flights to and from the United States for the remainder of the evening, including routes transiting U.S. airspace to the Caribbean and South America. Porter Airlines also cancelled all its remaining U.S.-inbound and
outbound flights at Toronto Billy Bishop Airport. NAV Canada briefly implemented traffic management measures at Toronto Pearson and three other major Canadian airports to handle traffic safely, but confirmed its systems functioned normally throughout the disruption.
Passenger Experiences and Airport Response
Passengers faced significant uncertainty and delays during the ground stop. Toronto Pearson Airport spokesperson Erica Vella said the airport was working closely with airlines to enter recovery mode and restore flight schedules over the following days. She noted 20 other international flights at Pearson were cancelled because of the FAA order.
Passenger Donna, scheduled to fly to New York City, expressed disappointment over her
cancelled plans. Another passenger, Derek, who was to fly to Las Vegas, anticipated cancellations and potential refunds. Lyle Jakobsen, delayed on an Air Canada flight from Sint Maarten, commended the airline’s communication despite the overnight disruption. Some passengers had to deplane and arrange overnight accommodations due to flight cancellations.
Impact on International Routes and Recovery Efforts
Flights between Canada and the Caribbean and South America that transit U.S. airspace were also disrupted by the ground stop, causing numerous cancellations. Toronto Pearson’s emergency operations centers remained active during the recovery phase to manage backlogs and reschedule flights. NAV Canada stressed its commitment to maintaining safety and efficiency in
Canadian airspace throughout the incident.
FAA Ground Stop Lifted but Delays Persist
The FAA lifted the ground stop order at approximately 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time on November 13, 2026. However, airport officials warned that delays and cancellations were expected to continue for several hours as airlines and airports worked to clear flight backlogs and resume normal operations. NAV Canada confirmed that while its own operations were unaffected, residual delays could persist during the recovery.
The FAA identified communications failures at multiple U.S. air traffic control centers as the cause of the ground stop, the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since January 2023. U.S. officials confirmed there was
no danger to flights or passengers during the event.
