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The FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop after a communications failure affected all 22 US regional air traffic control centres.
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Nearly 7,000 flights were delayed or cancelled as the disruption spread across American airports.
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Aircraft already airborne were permitted to land, while international arrivals required individual clearance.
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Authorities are investigating the failure, with no confirmed cause or timetable for restoring normal departures.
November 14, (THEWILL) – The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13, after a communications failure affected all 22 regional air traffic control centres, disrupting air travel and leaving thousands of flights delayed or cancelled.
The emergency order, issued at approximately 3:54 p.m. Eastern Time, instructed aircraft awaiting departure at American airports to remain grounded.
Flights already airborne could continue to their destinations and land, while authorities said they would handle inbound international flights individually.
The FAA cited “extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety” in its directive.
“All departing traffic should remain groundstopped until further notice,” the agency instructed operators.
US Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy confirmed that the communications problem affected the Air Route Traffic Control Centers responsible for managing aircraft travelling between airports.
“FAA technicians are investigating the issue”, Duffy said, adding that authorities would provide updates as information became available.
Flight-tracking platform FlightAware recorded nearly 7,000 delayed or cancelled flights as the disruption unfolded, according to Reuters.
The nationwide order followed an earlier suspension of air traffic in Chicago, where controllers had encountered communications difficulties. Authorities had not established the precise technical cause of the broader failure or announced when normal departures would resume.
The FAA’s advisory covered a period extending to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, although the specified endpoint did not guarantee that restrictions would be lifted then.
Nationwide Shutdown Exposes Pressure On US Aviation Infrastructure
Friday’s disruption marks the second nationwide halt to flight departures since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The previous incident occurred in January 2023, when a malfunction in the FAA’s system for distributing essential safety information to pilots prompted a temporary suspension of domestic departures.
American aviation authorities have since continued efforts to modernise the country’s ageing air traffic control infrastructure, including communication networks, radio equipment and radar systems.
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A September 2026 report by the US Government Accountability Office found that the FAA had classified 51 of its 138 air traffic control systems as unsustainable and another 54 as potentially unsustainable in a 2024 assessment.
The report also identified obsolete communications equipment and difficulty obtaining replacement parts among the challenges facing the network.
Congress approved $12.5 billion in 2025 to support modernisation. On Friday, the White House and FAA requested an additional $30.1 billion for aviation infrastructure improvements, including air traffic control upgrades and airport development.
The existing infrastructure concerns provide important context, although investigators have not established that any particular ageing component caused Friday’s failure.
The disruption also creates operational challenges for airlines, which must adjust departure schedules, aircraft movements and crew assignments. Delays can extend beyond the original ground stop as carriers reorganise connecting flights and accommodate affected passengers.
International travellers, including passengers connecting through US airports, could encounter schedule changes even where their flights originate outside the country.
Passengers have been advised to check directly with their airlines for updated travel information.
As of the latest verified reports on Friday afternoon in the United States, the FAA had not confirmed a full restoration of departure operations. Its technicians were continuing to investigate the communications failure.
Joy Onuorah is a business journalist and brand communications specialist covering financial markets, artificial intelligence, digital economy, and the ideas reshaping business across Africa and the global market. Beyond her reporting for TheWill, Joy uses brand strategy, storytelling, copywriting, and high-value SEO to help brands build lasting market authority.