On November 14, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop that led to the cancellation of hundreds of U.S.-bound flights departing from Toronto Pearson International Airport and Toronto Billy Bishop Airport. The halt began shortly before 4 p.m. Eastern Time due to communications problems at regional U.S. air traffic control centres and ended around 8:15 p.m. ET when the FAA lifted the order.
All U.S.-bound departures and arrivals at Toronto Pearson were suspended during the ground stop, resulting in more than 120 U.S. flights cancelled at the airport. Air Canada cancelled all of its flights to
and from the United States for the remainder of the evening, including Canada-to-Caribbean and Canada-to-South America routes affected because they cross U.S. airspace. Additionally, 20 other international flights were also cancelled at Pearson, according to a spokesperson for the airport. At Toronto Billy Bishop Airport, Porter Airlines cancelled all remaining U.S.-bound inbound and outbound flights on November 14.
Passengers experienced significant disruption, with many stranded due to flight cancellations and delays. Several were forced to wait on tarmacs or deboard after prolonged holds. Some were required to arrange overnight hotel stays. Air Canada communicated with affected travellers about cancellations, refunds,
and rebooking options. The airport’s emergency operations centres remained active to coordinate recovery efforts.
Airport and Airline Recovery Efforts
Erica Vella, spokesperson for Toronto Pearson Airport, said the airport was working closely with airlines to restore normal schedules. “We will be moving into a bit of a recovery mode today and tomorrow to make sure that airlines can get their schedules back on schedule and make sure that passengers can get to their destinations,” Vella stated. Despite the lifting of the ground stop, she cautioned that some delays and cancellations were expected as operations normalized.
Air Canada confirmed it had cancelled approximately 250 flights on
November 14, including those transiting U.S. airspace to the Caribbean and South America. The airline coordinated passenger communications and recovery plans. Porter Airlines suspended remaining U.S.-related flights at Billy Bishop on the same day.
Passenger Experiences
Several passengers at Toronto Pearson expressed frustration and uncertainty amid the cancellations. Donna, a traveller bound for New York City, said her flight was rescheduled for the next day, noting, “I was really hoping to fly out tonight. So, it’s a bit of an unfortunate situation.” She added she was “definitely very disappointed that my plans for the weekend have been cancelled, or at least very
delayed.”
Derek, aiming to fly to Las Vegas, said he was told to “stick around” but did not expect to travel as scheduled. “It’s most likely going to be cancelled. And even if you’re rebooked till tomorrow, it’s unlikely,” he said. “I think you’re going to have people with a lot of refunds.” Another passenger, Shahab Mirmiran, travelling to Los Angeles for work, described the uncertainty: “Unfortunately, we don’t know what’s going on. I have to go. I need to do something for work. They’re just saying you have to wait.”
Toronto-area couple Lyle Jakobsen and his wife were delayed
after their Air Canada flight from Sint Maarten was affected. Jakobsen said, “We boarded. Everything was fine. In probably 10 minutes after boarding, we got a notification that we would be delayed. There was the FAA issue, so we sat on the tarmac for, I would say, probably the better part of an hour and 15 minutes.” They were eventually deboarded and found hotel accommodations. Jakobsen praised Air Canada’s communication, stating, “Air Canada has been very communicative with us, and we’re happy with that for sure. So, what one more night in Saint Martin is probably not the worst scenario.”
NAV Canada Operations
NAV Canada, the Canadian air navigation service provider, confirmed it implemented “traffic management measures” at Toronto Pearson and three other major Canadian airports to manage traffic volumes safely during the FAA’s ground stop. NAV Canada reported its own systems and operations were functioning normally and not impacted by the FAA communications issue in the U.S. After the ground stop was lifted, NAV Canada warned that delays and cancellations could persist as flights recover to normal schedules. The agency is coordinating with airlines and air traffic control partners to clear backlogs and restore service.
