US Grounds Flights Nationwide After Air Traffic Communication Outage

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded flights nationwide on Friday after communication problems affected regional air traffic control centres, raising concerns over aviation safety and disrupting flight operations across the country.

The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop during Friday afternoon (local time), citing extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns. The advisory instructed airlines and aircraft operators to keep departing flights on the ground until further notice.

The notification stated, “All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice.” It also clarified that authorities would manage incoming international flights on a case-by-case basis.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the disruption through a post on X, saying FAA technicians were investigating the issue. The aviation regulator began examining the communication failure to determine its cause and assess its impact on flight operations.

The @FAAnews issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them.

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 13, 2026

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said officials had found no indication that a deliberate attack caused the disruption. He described the incident as a telecommunications outage and said authorities had not identified evidence of malicious activity.

The nationwide ground stop marked an unusual development in US aviation history. The FAA last imposed a similar restriction in January 2023, when a malfunction in its key computer system disrupted flights across the country. Before that, the agency had ordered a nationwide ground stop following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Several major airlines issued updates on X to inform passengers about the situation. They assured travellers that aircraft already in the air would continue operating despite the restrictions.

United Airlines said domestic departures would remain suspended during the disruption. However, the FAA would manage international departures separately on a case-by-case basis.

American Airlines warned passengers that disruptions could continue throughout the day. The airline said its teams would work to resume normal operations and help affected customers once the FAA lifted the restriction.

According to the FAA notification, the nationwide ground stop was scheduled to remain in effect until at least 11 pm Eastern Time (ET) on Friday. The disruption left airlines and passengers awaiting further instructions from aviation authorities as technicians continued investigating the communication outage.

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