FAA orders nationwide ground stop over communication problems: what we know so far
On November 13, 2026, the FAA halted departures across the US. The agency cites communication problems at air traffic control centers, and the cause is still under investigation.
Reviewed by Jackson on Nov 13, 2026. How we work
Quick answer
On Friday, November 13, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop on departing flights. It cited communication problems affecting several air traffic control centers. The agency said technicians were investigating, and no root cause had been confirmed in the reporting we reviewed. Early law enforcement reports said the outage was not a cyberattack.[1][2]
In this article
Why it mattersWhat the FAA saidWhat is still unknownThe January 2023 precedentThe theories, and what checks showWhat we don't know yetSourcesKey points
- The FAA halted departing flights nationwide until further notice, and it said technicians were investigating the communication issues.[1]
- CNBC reported that the issues involved communications and radar, citing an internal airline message. That is CNBC's report, not an official FAA statement.[1]
- Preliminary reports from two law enforcement officials said the outage was not a cyberattack. Homeland Security did not rule out any cause.[1]
- This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when a fault in the NOTAM system halted departures for a few hours.[2]
Why it matters
A nationwide stop halts departures for thousands of flights and can ripple across airline schedules for days. It also shows how much of US aviation depends on a small number of shared systems. Airlines and passengers face delays even when the cause is a technical fault rather than an attack.[1][2]
What the FAA said
The FAA said the stop was caused by communication issues affecting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers. Those centers guide planes between airports, so a fault there can slow or stop departures even when airports themselves are working.[1]
The agency ordered departing aircraft to stay on the ground until further notice. Flights already in the air were allowed to continue, according to the reporting, and United Airlines said airborne flights would carry on.[1]
What is still unknown
No root cause had been named in the reporting we reviewed. The FAA was still investigating, and the stop's end time depended on the state of the systems.[1]
We could not confirm from later reporting whether the stop has been lifted. Readers should check the FAA's official status page and their airline for the current situation.[1]
The January 2023 precedent
In January 2023, a fault in the NOTAM system, which sends safety notices to pilots, led to a nationwide departure halt. Officials said at the time that there was no evidence of a cyberattack, and service was restored after system testing.[2]
That history explains why the current stop drew attention, since it is the first of its kind in nearly three years.[2]
The theories, and what checks show
Online claims have spread quickly. In February 2026, a widely shared post said the White House had closed the airspace and called in the National Guard. Lead Stories fact-checked it and found no official announcement. The same claim returned in later months.[3]
A TikTok video suggested the government had grounded flights because of a planned attack in the Northeast. Coverage of that claim found no evidence to support it, and the airline explanation was more consistent with the reporting.[1]
Officials have not ruled out any cause, which is standard while an investigation is open. That is different from evidence of sabotage. Until investigators name a cause, the honest answer is that the facts are incomplete.[1]
What we don't know yet
- The root cause of the communication failure, which the FAA has not named.
- Whether the nationwide stop has been lifted, and how long delays will last.
- Whether any cyber or deliberate cause will be identified during the investigation.
Sources
- CNBC: FAA issues nationwide ground stop citing communication issues affecting 'multiple' air traffic control facilities (accessed Nov 13, 2026)
- Semafor: FAA lifts ground stop as some flights resume in US, 'no evidence' of cyberattack (accessed Nov 13, 2026)
- Lead Stories: Fact check: White House did not ground all flights, restrict airspace or activate National Guard (accessed Nov 13, 2026)