IT General

Update 8:49 p.m. Nov. 13: According to reports, airline sources say the ground stop has been lifted.

On Friday afternoon, the FAA grounded all planes nationwide, an extraordinary step that brought air travel to a grinding halt. The aviation administration said it halted travel "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety."

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy also confirmed the flight stoppage on X.

"The [FAA] issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide immediate updates as we have them."

The FAA rarely halts traffic coast to coast, leaving many travelers with questions about their flight status and the cause of the grounding. Here's what we know so far.

SEE ALSO: FAA nationwide ground stop: Why it happened, according to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin Why did the FAA ground all flights on Friday, Nov. 13?

The FAA's original explanation was that the ground stoppage was necessary "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety." That was a vague and somewhat anxiety-inducing communication, as many Americans associate nationwide ground stoppages with the tragedy of Sept. 11, when flights were also stopped in dramatic fashion.

However, the FAA soon clarified in a statement that the order was issued due to a telecommunications issue.

"There has been a temporary telecommunications outage — out of an abundance of caution, all flights have been halted. Every flight has been accounted for and international flights will be handled on a case by case basis."

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However, CNN reported this extraordinary quote, citing an unnamed airline source: "Ten minutes ago, they were on a crisis call and there was still no clear answer as to a cause." More recently, CNN reported that the FAA told airlines that the problem originated with "network routers."

In a White House press briefing late Friday evening, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin explained the ground stop was the result of outdated air traffic control systems. Duffy said the analogue systems were "overloaded" by a patchwork of newly-installed modern technology, which caused inconsistencies in radar and communications. The FAA ordered the ground stop out of an "abundance of caution," officials explained.

How many flights have been impacted so far?

According to the Misery Map, a visualization of cancellations and delays produced by the flight-tracking service FlightAware, there have been 2,406 delays and 763 cancellations so far today. At the same time yesterday, FlightAware recorded 410 delays and six cancellations.

Because of the chaotic nature of a sudden ground stoppage, many travelers may be stuck sitting in planes on the tarmac. One Mashable reporter is currently in exactly that situation.

SEE ALSO: The FAA nationwide ground stop sparks travel panic and viral memes Airports are warning travelers to check flight status before coming to the airport

In the hours after the FAA grounded all domestic flights, major airports are warning travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. The X account of New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport wrote, "Travelers should confirm their flight status with their airline before heading to the airport." Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC issued the following advisory to travelers: "Prior to coming to the airport, check with your airline regarding the status of your flight."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. When was the last nationwide ground stoppage?

The FAA has only grounded all planes nationwide on two prior occasions. It happened for the first time on 9/11, and then again on Jan. 11, 2023. In the latter incident, flights were grounded for just 90 minutes due to issues with the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system. In 2024, the infamous CrowdStrike IT outage led major airlines to issue a global stoppage.

Is the FAA nationwide ground stoppage the result of a cyberattack?

As with yesterday's global Microsoft outage, online commentators quickly speculated that a cyberattack may have been the cause of the ground stoppage, but there is currently no reason to believe that is the case. The FAA has clearly stated that it's the result of "a temporary telecommunications outage." Mullin reiterated in the Friday briefing that there were "no indications" of foreign interference as of now.

The FAA's IT infrastructure is notoriously out of date. Just last week, Mashable reported on the administration's plans to finally phase out floppy disks — two years from now.

Why did the nationwide ground stop occur?

CBS News reported that multiple sources told them "[a]n update to the private communications network that connects America's air traffic control system caused the system to reboot, leading to a crash and a communications outage." A Florida-based company, L3Harris, operates that system, according to CBS News.

"This is not another 9/11"

Speaking at a news conference, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, "This is not another 9/11," according to KOMO News.

"There is no fear to the public. I want to make sure we say this again — there is no reason for the public to be afraid or scared for your loved ones," the secretary stated.

The FAA recently implemented a new AI system

In recent days, the FAA announced it was expanding the use of an AI tool to help air traffic controllers manage traffic, according to Ars Technica. However, there is no evidence that the current stoppage and the AI rollout are related. That hasn't stopped frustrated travelers from speculating on a connection, however.

On Friday evening, the company behind the new AI tool stated that there was absolutely no connection between the ground stoppage and its work.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Is the ground stop related to the FAA's new air traffic AI? When will the FAA nationwide ground stoppage end?

Unfortunately, it's impossible to answer that question. As we already noted, the last nationwide ground stoppage in 2023 lasted approximately 90 minutes, according to the FAA's communications at the time.

If CNN's source who claimed the FAA currently has no idea what caused the problem is correct, it could drag on much longer than travelers would like.

We should also note that it's currently Friday the 13th.

This is a developing story...

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UPDATE: Nov. 13, 2026, 6:59 p.m. EST This story has been updated with additional information.

UPDATE: Nov. 13, 2026, 6:11 p.m. PST This story has been updated with additional information on the cause of the ground stop.

Trump administration officials and Air Traffic Control (ATC) insiders are shedding light on Friday's nationwide ground stop, which resulted in massive delays for thousands of flights and nearly all domestic travelers.

Several sources told CBS News Friday evening that the ground stop was caused by a communication system reboot. According to multiple insiders with knowledge of the incident, an update to a private communications network used by air traffic controllers forced the system to reboot and impede communications at the nation's 22 regional air traffic control centers, CBS News reported.

Hours later, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the outage was caused by an outdated air traffic control system coming up against the processing power of newly implemented modern technology.

"Our routers got overloaded by the data," said Duffy. The secretary said the overloaded routers, which he described as "'80s copper lines", caused instability in communications at Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) and Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). Out of an "abundance of caution," the FAA issued the ground stop.

Duffy asserted that only older lines were affected, not newly installed ATC tech. Duffy then called on Congress to provide $50 billion in emergency funding to overhaul the system completely.

The ground stop has now been lifted.

SEE ALSO: FAA ground stop: When will it end? Not as soon as you'd like.

As recently as 6 p.m. ET, insiders reported the FAA was still investigating the circumstances behind the communication blackout.

Following confirmation of a telecommunications outage, social media users theorized the blackout may have been a consequence of the FAA's new AI-powered air traffic control system, known as Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, or SMART. Others suggested the recent Microsoft outage could have been a factor.

When asked if AI played a role in the ground stop, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told the press that officials couldn't "rule anything out." In comments to the press later that evening, Mullin once again affirmed officials haven't found any indication of a cybersecurity attack but couldn't rule out interference entirely. "There’s nothing completely certain right now. It does not appear that way," Mullin said. "The public was never at danger. There was never any lives at risk. There were no flights at risk."

Air Space Intelligence (ASI), the company behind SMART, denied speculation that the new AI tool was involved in the ground stop. Microsoft also issued a statement, writing: "We have no indication that the FAA’s nationwide ground stop is related to any Microsoft services."

The FAA has undertaken an administration-wide modernization project, including phasing out the use of floppy disks for storing weather conditions, airport status updates, equipment issues, and other critical information.

UPDATE: Nov. 13, 2026, 5:47 p.m. This story was updated with new information from the Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security.

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For only the third time in U.S. history, the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) has issued a nationwide ground stop of all flights.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed the ground stop at 4:16 p.m. ET. More than 2,000 flights have already been affected and flights into the U.S. have also been halted.

SEE ALSO: Flight status tracker: How to check online after FAA grounds all flights

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told the press that today's national stoppage was caused by a "telecommunications outage," not a national security threat.

Is the ground stop connected to AI?

One day prior, ArsTechnica reported on the FAA's recent roll out of its new $875 million AI tool, the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) system. SMART is a cloud-based platform system designed to help air traffic controllers evaluate and manage national airspace, the FAA explained in a system fact sheet.

"Using AI, SMART analyzes airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, airspace conditions, and operational constraints to predict traffic flows and identify potential conflicts before they occur," the administration wrote.

Users online pointed out the coincidental timing almost immediately. Air Space Intelligence (ASI), the American aerospace and defense company behind SMART, denied on social media any connection to the ground stop.

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At this time, officials have not confirmed any connection between the deployment of the FAA's SMART tool and the ground stop. SMART has been active in Washington, DC airspace since at least Sept. 21, ArsTechnica reported, and the FAA announced a rollout to 22 centers across the country on Nov. 10. According to the administration, SMART had successfully helped reroute 180 flights.

When asked about the possibility that SMART could have impacted the nation's air traffic control systems, Mullin said, "You can't rule out anything at this point. We are going through that process and we're going to find out what happened. When we do, we'll take the appropriate actions to make sure it doesn't happen again."

ASI posted a statement to X refuting claims its system resulted in the FAA stoppage. "The current ground stop is not based on or a result of the SMART system, any product of ASI or our integration with FAA and ATC," the company wrote.

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UPDATE: Nov. 13, 2026, 3:41 p.m. This story was updated with a quote from Air Space Intelligence (ASI).

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For the second time since 9/11, all air travel in the United States has been temporarily halted.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a rare nationwide ground stop on Friday afternoon, leaving countless travelers stranded at airports across the U.S. Officials, including Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, attributed the stoppage to a communications issue whose cause is unknown at the time of publication.

SEE ALSO: Is the ground stop related to the FAA's new air traffic AI?

Of course, the question on many people's minds right now is: When will the ground stop be lifted? Unfortunately, we do not know the answer to that right now. CNN reported that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the government has "not discussed any timeframe."

“It’s going to take some time,” Mullin said, per CNN. “And so this isn’t going to just be resolved and turned around within the hour.”

That means this could very well last through Friday evening, at least. For reference, the last nationwide ground stop in 2023 lasted about 90 minutes, but Mullin's rhetoric seemed to suggest this one could take longer to resolve.

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For only the third time in U.S. history, flights across the United States have been ordered to stay on the ground. And as travelers found themselves stranded at airports, sitting in airport bars, and wondering when they might finally take off, the internet did what it does best and started posting.

On Friday, Nov. 13, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop for departing flights following widespread air traffic control communications problems. The agency cited extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns, ordering aircraft to remain on the ground until further notice. Flights already in the air were permitted to land, while inbound international flights were being handled on a case-by-case basis.

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The scale of the disruption is difficult to overstate. The last time the FAA issued a nationwide ground stop was in January 2023, when a computer system failure temporarily halted departing flights. Before that, it happened in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

SEE ALSO: FAA ground stop updates: What we know so far

It's the kind of historical comparison that can make an already unsettling situation feel even more alarming, particularly when thousands of travelers are left waiting for answers. The FAA's original communication was also extremely vague, citing only "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety."

And on social media, people had plenty of questions.

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For travelers caught in the middle of the disruption, the news wasn't just another breaking headline. It meant unexpected delays, uncertain departure times, and an increasingly familiar feeling of being at the mercy of systems entirely outside their control.

Some turned to social media to document the experience in real time, sharing updates from airport terminals.

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Others were struck by the sheer rarity of the moment. A nationwide ground stop is not an everyday occurrence, and the fact that the previous two were associated with 9/11 and a major FAA systems failure only added to the unease.

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Of course, this being the internet, it didn't take long for people to find humor in the situation, either. Even an unprecedented disruption to air travel isn't immune to a few jokes, particularly when it happens on Friday the 13th following a major Microsoft outage.

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And then, there's this response from Stephen King:

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But beyond the immediate frustration and online commentary, the ground stop raises more serious questions about the aging technology underpinning America's aviation system. The FAA has been working to modernize its air traffic control infrastructure, and Friday's communications problems offer another reminder of how much depends on systems most travelers rarely think about until something goes wrong.

The ground stop also comes at a particularly interesting moment for the FAA. Just days earlier, the agency announced that it was expanding its new AI-supported air traffic management system, known as SMART, to all 22 regional air traffic control centers nationwide. Shortly before that, the FAA announced it will finally phase out floppy disks by 2028.

The $875 million system is designed to analyze everything from weather patterns and flight routes to traffic congestion and controller staffing, helping aviation officials anticipate disruptions before they happen. According to the FAA, the technology is intended to reduce delays and make air travel more efficient, though human specialists remain responsible for reviewing its recommendations.

The timing has attracted attention online, particularly as questions swirl around what caused Friday's communications problems.

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For now, travelers are left refreshing their flight statuses, waiting for updates, and sharing their experiences online. And while the jokes might offer a momentary distraction, there's nothing particularly funny about realizing just how quickly an entire country's air travel system can grind to a halt.

This is a developing story.

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In an extraordinarily rare move, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that all flights in the U.S. are grounded on Friday afternoon.

The FAA said this nationwide ground stop was "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety."

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted a confirmation of the outage on his X account, attributing the ground stop order to "a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.” Duffy added, “FAA technicians are investigating the issue."

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The FAA has only ordered the grounding of all flights nationwide on two prior occasions. The first was on 9/11, and the second was on Jan. 11, 2023, when all flights were grounded for 90 minutes due to problems with the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system. In 2024, the CrowdStrike IT outage led some major airlines to issue a global stoppage.

"The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers," the FAA said in a statement. "All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice," read an air traffic control advisory reported by Axios.

How to check the status of your flight

For those preparing to board a flight, this will obviously cause delays. 

Travelers who need to monitor the status of their air travel should make sure to turn on notifications with their airline in order to receive up-to-the-minute updates regarding their specific flights.

To check the status of flights online, you can use the following resources:

• Flighty: An iOS app that uses FAA air traffic control data to track flights

• FlightAware: A website and app (Android and iOS) that provides live tracking for flights

• Misery Map: A FlightAware map showing cancellations and delays around the country

• Flightradar24: Another live radar map available through a website and app (Android and iOS)

As of this writing, the Misery Map shows 2,438 delays and counting.

The FAA also provides broad status updates regarding active airport events on its National Airspace System Status website located at https://nasstatus.faa.gov/.

Flyers can also check the social media profiles and websites of specific airports for local updates.

This is a developing story...

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As Microsoft continues to try to fix a huge service outage that has disrupted software services globally, a new report dropped, possibly confirming something most of us could have guessed.

Ookla and DownDetector published a report on Friday afternoon claiming that the Microsoft outage was, by a significant margin, the largest such outage of 2026, based on the number of users who reported problems on DownDetector. Going by that metric, Microsoft's outage was reported 7.4 million times, compared to just 2.8 million reports for a YouTube outage in February that ranked second among all outages in 2026.

During the Microsoft outage, DownDetector said that it received a peak of 19,650 user error reports for Microsoft's services per minute, which is more than 1,500 times the normal level. Nearly 24 hours later, users are still reporting errors for Microsoft

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Outlook outage cause seemingly revealed

Aside from the sheer number of reports, the length of the outage was also noteworthy. Outlook and other Microsoft enterprise software services were out for more than 24 hours, compared to a recent 11-hour outage in August, as Mashable reported at the time.

There is one major caveat to all of this: DownDetector relies on user reports rather than anything more verifiable. This has caused companies to sometimes dispute the site's data, which is exactly what Amazon Web Services did (rather passively aggressively) after DownDetector incorrectly showed that AWS was experiencing problems at the same time that Outlook was on Thursday. Mashable reached out to Microsoft, but the company declined to comment on the Ookla report.

As of late Friday afternoon, Microsoft's outage appears to be subsiding, though the company has yet to publish an ETA for full recovery.

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