The FAA ground stop announced Friday, November 13, is set to halt departing traffic across the United States because of what the agency described as extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns.
An advisory from the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center instructed all aircraft operators to keep departing traffic on the ground until further notice.
The order lists an effective period beginning at 3:53 p.m. Eastern time on Friday and continuing until 11:00 p.m. Eastern time, although the FAA can change or cancel the restriction earlier.
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Faa Ground Stop: What the FAA advisory says
The FAA ground stop applies nationally rather than to one individual airport or region.
The advisory says inbound international flights will be managed on a case-by-case basis, meaning aircraft already travelling to the United States may still be permitted to land depending on operational and safety conditions.
Domestic departures, connecting flights and cargo operations may face delays even after the order is lifted because aircraft and crews could be out of position.
The FAA did not immediately provide a detailed public explanation for the extraordinary-circumstances wording in the advisory.
Equipment and communications problems reported
Separate FAA airport advisories on Friday cited equipment outages and communications issues affecting operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport.
Those disruptions prompted traffic restrictions affecting flights bound for the two Chicago airports.
It was not immediately clear whether the Chicago problems directly caused the nationwide order, and the FAA had not publicly confirmed a single technical failure as the cause.
Reports of communications problems involving air traffic-control facilities were circulating as airlines and passengers received notices about delayed departures.
What travellers should do
Passengers scheduled to fly from a U.S. airport should check their airline’s app or website before leaving for the airport.
Travellers should also confirm the status of connecting flights, since a departure that is eventually released may still arrive too late for a planned connection.
Airlines may issue revised departure times in stages as the FAA evaluates the situation.
- Check the flight number directly with the airline.
- Allow extra time at the airport if the flight is released.
- Keep receipts for reasonable expenses if the airline provides instructions for disrupted passengers.
- Do not assume that an airport’s general status reflects the status of an individual flight.
Canadian passengers travelling to or through the United States could also be affected by delays, missed connections and aircraft-positioning problems.
The impact may extend beyond the United States if international flights are delayed before departure or diverted from planned connecting hubs.
Why a nationwide ground stop is unusual
A ground stop normally applies to flights headed for a specific airport or region, often because of severe weather, congestion, runway limitations or a local equipment problem.
A nationwide order is considerably broader because it pauses departures across the national airspace system while aviation authorities assess whether flights can be operated safely.
The FAA also ordered a nationwide departure halt in January 2023 after an outage affecting the system used to distribute safety notices to pilots and airlines.
Friday’s advisory did not say that the same system was involved.
What happens next
The FAA is expected to issue further operational updates as controllers and aviation officials assess the reported problems.
Even if the ground stop is lifted on schedule, passengers could experience rolling delays and cancellations through Friday evening and into Saturday as airlines rebuild their schedules.
Travellers should rely on their airline for flight-specific information while the FAA’s national status system provides broader operational updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FAA ground stop on November 13, 2026?
The FAA ordered a nationwide pause on departing traffic because of extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns.
When does the nationwide ground stop take effect?
The advisory lists an effective start time of 3:53 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, November 13, 2026, with an end time of 11:00 p.m. Eastern time unless changed earlier.
Are international flights also grounded?
Inbound international flights will be managed case by case, according to the FAA advisory.
Are Chicago O’Hare and Midway affected?
Yes. Separate advisories cited equipment and communications problems affecting operations at both Chicago airports.
How can passengers check whether their flight is affected?
Passengers should check their flight number directly through their airline’s app or website because airport-wide status reports may not reflect individual flight changes.
Fact-Checked: The FAA ATCSCC advisory records the national ground-stop event as 2053Z to 0400Z on November 13–14, 2026, equivalent to 3:53 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. EST on Friday, November 13. The event date and weekday are correct; the article’s originally listed Eastern-time window was corrected. ([reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/1xvj54r/national_ground_stop/?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: Flight schedules can change quickly during an FAA ground stop, so passengers should confirm all travel details directly with their airline.