The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13, 2026, temporarily halting all departing flights across the United States. The agency later lifted the ground stop Friday evening, more than four hours after it began, but officials warned it would take time for the system to return to full capacity, according to CNN’s live updates.
What a “ground stop” means
As described in CNN’s report, a ground stop is an FAA measure that requires aircraft to remain on the ground and prevents them from taking off. In this case, the FAA applied it nationwide, pausing departures across US airports at once.
CNN reported that when the ground stop was issued, more than 3,500 aircraft were already in the air, meaning the immediate halt was focused on departures while controllers and airlines continued managing a large volume of airborne traffic.
How big the disruption was
The operational impact spread quickly through airline schedules and airport operations. Citing FlightAware, CNN reported that roughly 15,000 flights were delayed or canceled on November 13.
The ripple effects extended into the next day as airlines and airports worked to reset aircraft and crew rotations. CNN, citing FlightAware, said more than 700 flights (within, into, or out of the US) were canceled for Saturday.
What officials said about the cause
Early explanations from US officials pointed to a telecommunications/technology issue affecting air-traffic-control systems, while emphasizing that investigation was ongoing.
Transportation Secretary: aging ATC technology and overloaded routers
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the incident was connected to dated air traffic control (ATC) technology and routers overloaded with data, CNN reported.
FAA account to airlines: Midway origin and a nationwide “cascade”
CNN also reported that the FAA told airlines the issue began at Chicago Midway International Airport and then “cascaded nationwide”. Based on CNN’s reporting, this describes a failure that spread through interconnected systems rather than staying confined to one location.
Homeland Security: “zero evidence” of cyberattack so far
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was “zero evidence” the telecommunications problem was the result of a cyberattack, CNN reported. He added that the investigation was still underway and that officials were not prepared to rule anything out completely.
Mullin also stressed, according to CNN, that the public was not in danger despite the travel disruption.
Airport constraints: gates, ramp space, and diversions
Stopping departures can quickly create congestion on the ground as aircraft accumulate at gates and on ramps. CNN reported that some airports were running out of gate availability and ramp space to park planes.
In one example, CNN cited an airport source saying Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport had no more space to park aircraft and could not accept diversions.
International spillover: Europe pauses US-bound departures
The disruption also affected international traffic. CNN reported that Eurocontrol suspended departures to the United States from its 42 member countries at the FAA’s request, and that the suspension was expected to last until midnight ET.
CNN also noted impacts on US-bound flights from major airports in Asia, reflecting how a nationwide US departure stop can disrupt aircraft rotations and schedules well beyond US borders.
What travelers were experiencing and what to do next
During the disruption, CNN reported that some passengers said they were stuck on the tarmac for more than an hour and a half.
Airports were advising travelers to confirm flight status with their airline before heading to the airport, CNN reported, as delays and cancellations were expected to continue even after the ground stop was lifted.
Source: CNN live updates (Nov. 13, 2026): https://edition.cnn.com/2026/11/13/us/live-news/flights-ground-stop-faa
