FAA Implements Nationwide Ground Stop After Air Traffic Communication Failure

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a nationwide ground stop for all United States airports following significant communication disruptions. The decision was made on Friday afternoon, 13 November 2026, citing “extraordinary circumstances” required to maintain safety.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed that the disruption stems from a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centres across the country. FAA technicians are currently investigating the technical cause of the failure.

While federal officials have not yet confirmed the origin of the disruption, the incident has prompted questions regarding a potential cyberattack against critical aviation infrastructure. At this stage, authorities have not identified whether the outage is the result of a technical malfunction or a malicious actor.

The FAA has directed all departing flights to remain on the ground until further notice. The agency is managing inbound international flights on a case-by-case basis to mitigate further disruption.

The issue appeared to escalate from a localized disruption in Chicago, where air traffic control communications were halted, before the FAA issued the nationwide order. Federal officials have stated they will provide immediate updates as the investigation progresses.