FAA suspends all United States flight departures due to communications failure

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a national suspension of all flight departures at all United States airports on Friday, November 13, 2026. The order was triggered by a communication problem affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. This disruption affects 22 regional centers responsible for coordinating flights in United States airspace. While the suspension applies to aircraft on the ground, aircraft already in flight were permitted to continue their journeys.

Impact and scale of the disruption

The scale of the disruption was immediate and significant. FlightAware reported that over 5,000 flights were canceled shortly after 8:00 p.m. ET on November 13, 2026. At the time the pause was implemented, approximately 1.5 million passengers were waiting for flights. The timing of the incident is particularly sensitive as it occurred approximately two weeks before Thanksgiving. Airlines for America expects an average of 2.7 million daily passengers during the Thanksgiving holiday period.

Specific airline impacts were noted at major hubs. Southwest Airlines informed passengers at the Las Vegas airport that no flights would depart for 24 hours. The FAA also requested that Eurocontrol suspend all flights to the United States from 42 European countries.

Official statements and investigations

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated the incident is a telecommunications failure and not a malicious attack. Secretary Markwayne Mullin also noted that the issue will take a long time to resolve and normalize. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the cause of the communication failure.

This incident follows a period of significant budgetary requests for aviation infrastructure. The Federal Aviation Administration's order was issued one day after U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy requested $30.1 billion from Congress to modernize the air traffic control system.

Historical context

This event marks a significant disruption in United States aviation. The last national flight grounding prior to this event occurred following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In January 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national flight suspension for less than two hours due to a failure in the Notice to Air Missions system.

Glossary

• Air Route Traffic Control Centers — These are air traffic control facilities operated by the Air Traffic Organization (ATO). They are responsible for coordinating flights within the National Airspace System.
• Thanksgiving — Thanksgiving is an annual Canadian holiday held on the second Monday in October. It is a statutory holiday in most of Canada.
• Airlines for America — Airlines for America (A4A) is an American trade association and lobbying group based in Washington, D.C. It represents major North American airlines and advocates for favorable regulations regarding taxation, competition, and environmental standards.
• Eurocontrol — The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, known as Eurocontrol, is an international organisation that works to achieve safe and seamless air traffic management across Europe. It serves as a central organisation for the coordination and planning of air traffic control for all of Europe.