Nationwide ground stop ordered at airports: FAA

Rare nationwide ground stop ordered at airports over communication issues: FAA The FAA said the stop was "due to extraordinary circumstances." Watch ABC News live news stream and get 24/7 latest, breaking news coverage, and live video. By Ayesha Ali and Ivan Pereira Friday, November 13, 2026 9:57PM Share Follow ABC7 on Google The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop Friday for all airports due to a communication issue affecting air traffic control. The agency's alert said the stop was "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in an X statement a short while later that the stop was "due a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers." "FAA technicians are investigating the issue," he said in an X post. This is the second time since Sept. 11, 2001, that the FAA has ordered a nationwide ground stop. The last time was in 2023 , when the FAA NOTAM system went down and pilots could not get their pre-departure paperwork. Air Route Traffic Control Centers are responsible for all flights above 18,000 feet. There are 22 of those centers in the U.S. Pilots who are in the air have flight plans and are prepared to continue with their flight path in case of such an emergency, according to ABC News contributor John Nance. FAA ground stop live updates: What to know as nationwide flights are grounded 10 minutes ago Chicago's O'Hare, Midway airports impacted by nationwide ground stop due to 'equipment outage': LIVE 18 minutes ago Emergency crews responding to vessel collision near Port of New Orleans on Mississippi River 1 hour ago "All pilots in that environment know what to do," Nance told ABC News on Friday. "It is a matter of predictability. Air Traffic Control knows that airplane is going to come out of the sky at some point of time looking for a pathway," he later added. Earlier in the afternoon, the FAA issued a ground stop at both Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports due to equipment outage. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Report a correction or typo Copyright © 2026 ABC News Internet Ventures. Related Topics U.S. & WORLD FAA FLIGHTS RESTRICTED AVIATION AIR TRAVEL TRAVEL Watch Live ON NOW FAA ground stop live updates: What to know as flights are grounded 10 minutes ago O'Hare, Midway airports impacted by nationwide ground stop: LIVE 18 minutes ago Tanker collides with riverboat with 129 passengers on board in New Orleans: Officials 1 hour ago Central California killer says 'I'd do it a million times' during sentencing Suburban homeowners accuse contractor of leaving jobs unfinished