FAA orders nationwide US flight ground stop over communication issue, Duffy says

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on flights at US airports on 13 November 2026, according to Reuters, AP, DW, France 24, Al Jazeera, Anadolu, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and The Verge. SCMP quoted the FAA notice as citing "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety". DW quoted the FAA as saying: "All departing traffic should remain groundstopped until further notice."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X that the stop followed a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. "FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them," DW and The Verge quoted him as saying. SCMP reported that the government gave no details about the reason. The reports do not clarify whether this reflects the timing of publication.

France 24, in a report credited "with Reuters", said that the FAA halted traffic in Chicago shortly before the national stop because of communications issues. France 24 also reported that the FAA said international flights would be managed case by case. The Verge, citing Jon Ostrower of The Air Current, reported that the FAA attributed the stop to "several impacts to ATC Frequencies and/or Radar capabilities".

A nationwide ground stop was also ordered after the 11 September 2001 attacks. DW, France 24, Al Jazeera and SCMP said the most recent one before Friday's was in January 2023. The Verge, citing CNN, said it was in 2024.

What is not yet known: The reports do not describe the root cause of the communication issue. They do not say when the stop will end or whether it has been lifted. They do not give the number of flights or passengers affected. They do not say whether flights already in the air were diverted. They do not explain how the Chicago halt relates to the national stop.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.