November 13, 2026 | International News
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered an unprecedented nationwide halt to departing flights, bringing air travel across the country to a standstill on Friday afternoon.
The emergency directive, issued over safety concerns, marks only the second nationwide ground stop since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The FAA instructed all departing aircraft to remain grounded until further notice, while international flights arriving in the United States will be assessed individually.
Aircraft already in the air are permitted to land.
The sweeping decision follows reports of serious air traffic control communications problems, including disruptions affecting Chicago’s aviation facilities. However, federal authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the precise cause of the nationwide emergency.
The Washington Examiner reported that a rolling radio-frequency outage was affecting facilities responsible for monitoring aircraft movements.
The extraordinary order raises immediate concerns about widespread flight delays, cancellations and disruptions to international travel, including passengers connecting through major American airports.
The last comparable nationwide ground stop occurred in January 2023, when a technical failure involving the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions system temporarily halted domestic departures for nearly two hours.
The latest disruption also renews scrutiny of America’s ageing aviation infrastructure. Congress approved US$12.5 billion in 2025 to modernise the FAA’s communications systems, while authorities have requested an additional US$30.1 billion for further improvements.
As of the initial reports on Friday afternoon, the FAA had not announced when nationwide departures would resume.
Passengers travelling to, from or through the United States are advised to check directly with their airlines for updates.
The situation remains developing.