Communications and radar system failure halts departures for more than four hours, with over 1.5 million passengers booked on flights potentially affected by the disruption.
Washington – United States – Al Rehla
The United States resumed aircraft departures on Friday evening, November 13, 2026, following a nationwide ground stop imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for more than four hours after a major failure affected air traffic control communications and radar data systems.
The disruption caused widespread operational problems affecting both domestic and international flights.
Authorities announced the resumption of departures at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time, following a ground stop that began at 3:54 p.m., while warning that flight delays and cancellations could continue throughout the weekend.
Thousands of Flights Affected
Flight-tracking data showed more than 4,700 cancellations and 10,000 delays recorded on Friday, while aviation analytics company Cirium reported that 827 flights had been diverted by 7:05 p.m.
Cirium estimated that approximately 11,000 flights carrying more than 1.5 million passengers were scheduled to depart from US airports after 4 p.m.
However, this figure does not mean that all those passengers were stranded or that every scheduled flight was cancelled.
Airlines announced additional cancellations, while international services connected to US airports were also affected.
Aging Equipment Blamed for Disruption
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the disruption began at 3:36 p.m., when aging communications equipment, including network switches and routers, became overloaded, causing instability in air traffic control data.
He explained that authorities decided to suspend departures as a precautionary safety measure, while aircraft already airborne were allowed to continue landing under air traffic control procedures.
Officials have not yet released the final findings of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there were no indications of a cyberattack at this stage.
Recovery Could Take Days
Duffy warned that restoring normal flight operations would take time because airlines needed to reposition aircraft and crews whose schedules had been disrupted by the nationwide ground stop.
The incident also renewed attention on the need to modernise the US air traffic control network.
The system has received an initial $12.5 billion in funding, while calls continue for additional resources to complete the broader modernisation programme.
Al Rehla Perspective | What Should Travellers Do?
Al Rehla advises passengers travelling to or through the United States to check their flight status directly with their airlines and review connecting flight arrangements before heading to the airport.
Under US Department of Transportation regulations, passengers are entitled to a ticket refund when their flight is cancelled or significantly changed and they choose not to accept the alternative transportation offered, regardless of the reason for the cancellation.
However, hotel accommodation, meals and additional compensation depend on the circumstances of the disruption and the airline's applicable commitments.
Travellers should continue monitoring official airline updates, as lifting the nationwide ground stop does not mean that flight schedules will immediately return to normal.
The incident highlights the importance of reliable air traffic control infrastructure and operational contingency planning in maintaining the safety and continuity of one of the world's busiest aviation networks.
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