FAA Orders Nationwide Ground Stop: What Travellers Need to Know
The FAA halted every departing flight in the United States on Friday, leaving nearly 7,000 flights delayed or cancelled, with no restart time given.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Noah Wulf
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 — The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon, halting every departing flight in the United States after problems struck the air traffic control system. The order, issued by the agency’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center, took effect at 3:54 p.m. Eastern time.
The advisory told controllers and airlines that “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety, all airports are ground stopped.” Aircraft already in the air were allowed to continue to their destinations and land. The FAA has not said when departures will be allowed to resume. Flight tracking service FlightAware counted nearly 7,000 flights delayed or cancelled because of the stop.
Key Takeaways
- The FAA’s nationwide ground stop took effect at 3:54 p.m. ET Friday, halting all U.S. departures until further notice.
- Nearly 7,000 flights were delayed or cancelled, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.
- The advisory lists an effective period to 11:30 p.m. ET, but the FAA has given no estimate for resumption.
- Flights already airborne may land; only departures are held.
- No cause is officially confirmed. Earlier Friday, the FAA stopped departures bound for Chicago O’Hare and Midway, citing an equipment outage.
Why Did the FAA Order a Nationwide Ground Stop?
The FAA has not identified the cause. Its advisory gives no reason beyond “extraordinary circumstances” and safety.
The FAA confirmed the stop followed several impacts to air traffic control frequencies and radar capability. Aviation monitors pointed to a rolling radio-frequency outage affecting the centres that track aircraft in flight, but the advisory names no cause or location.
Earlier on Friday, the FAA stopped departures bound for Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports, citing an equipment outage. Ground stops at single airports are routine, used for weather, volume or equipment problems. A stop covering the whole country is rare.
How Long Will the FAA Ground Stop Last?
The advisory lists an effective period from 3:54 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. ET on Friday. But the order holds departing aircraft until further notice, and the FAA has said nothing about when flights will move again. The listed end time is not a promise of resumption.
| Time (ET), Friday | What happened |
|---|---|
| Earlier in the day | FAA stops departures bound for Chicago O’Hare and Midway, citing an equipment outage |
| 3:54 p.m. | Nationwide ground stop takes effect; all U.S. departures held |
| Friday evening | Nearly 7,000 flights delayed or cancelled, according to FlightAware |
| 11:30 p.m. | Listed end of the advisory period; flights remain held until further notice |
A nationwide stop holds departures at every commercial airport at the same time. The last one was January 11, 2023, when a failure of the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions system, known as NOTAM, temporarily halted domestic departures. Friday’s stop differs: the cause is unconfirmed, and no end time has been given.
What Should Passengers Do During the FAA Ground Stop?
Passengers should check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport. The FAA’s National Airspace System status page carries the latest position on ground stops and delays.
Delays are likely to continue for hours after the stop is lifted, as aircraft and crews will be out of position and airlines rebuild schedules. The disruption comes days after the record federal shutdown ended, during which the FAA ordered airlines to cut flights at busy airports, cuts that remain in place after the Senate passed the funding bill that ended the shutdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the FAA grounding all flights today?
The FAA has not named a cause. Its advisory cites “extraordinary circumstances” and safety, and the agency confirmed several impacts to air traffic control frequencies and radar capability.
How long will the FAA ground stop last?
The advisory lists an effective period to 11:30 p.m. ET Friday, but departures are held until further notice and the FAA has given no estimate for resumption.
Are flights already in the air affected by the FAA ground stop?
No. Aircraft already airborne may continue to their destinations and land. The stop applies only to departures.
Has the FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop before?
Yes, on January 11, 2023, when a failure of the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions system, known as NOTAM, temporarily halted domestic departures.
The FAA has not said when it will lift the order. Its advisory remains in force until further notice, and travellers should expect further updates from the agency and their airlines.
