Nationwide Flight Ground Stop Lifted After FAA Outage
Airports across Arizona joined a nationwide flight ground stop on Friday, November 14, 2026, halting all departures for several hours due to a technical failure.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the stop on all departing flights across the United States around 2:15 p.m.
“There has been a temporary telecommunications outage – out of an abundance of caution all flights have been halted,” the agency said. “Every flight has been accounted for and international flights will be handled on a case by case basis.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that a communications issue affected the regional air traffic control centers directing planes between airports nationwide. FAA technicians investigated the cause of the disruption.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reported that there was no indication of a national security threat causing the outage, though he did not rule out any possible cause, including a cyberattack, as noted by CNN. The nationwide ground stop is only the second such order issued by the FAA since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, following a previous computer system malfunction in January 2023.
Grounded flights hit major Arizona hubs
Grounded departures affected major aviation facilities across Arizona, including Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Mesa Gateway Airport, Scottsdale Airport, Deer Valley Airport, and Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. AZ Family reported that as of 6:00 p.m. MST, Phoenix Sky Harbor recorded 338 delayed flights and 155 canceled flights.
Across the country, at least 1,194 flights were canceled on Friday, and 1,082 flights were canceled for Saturday, according to tracking data.
Affected travelers were advised to check directly with their airlines for compensation options. Meanwhile, conditions at Yuma International Airport remained calm on Friday evening as passengers dealt with standby status and schedule changes.
“I had a flight to Phoenix scheduled for 11:30 a.m.,” a passenger told AZ Family, noting she received notifications that flights were on standby before being directed to board.
She boarded the plane and waited until about 1:32 p.m. before the pilot instructed passengers to leave the aircraft and wait in the terminal. Yuma airport officials confirmed that no flights were officially canceled there, though departures remained on standby.
Residual delays and cancellations continue
The ground stop was lifted around 6:15 p.m. on Friday, November 14, 2026, but aviation authorities warned that recovery would take time. Kris Van Cleave reported that national ground stops were lifted, but warned travelers to expect extensive residual delays, cancellations, and intermittent stops throughout Friday night and Saturday.
FAA technicians continued working to stabilize regional air traffic control networks following the temporary telecommunications outage. Passengers facing ongoing schedule disruptions or seeking reimbursement for canceled itineraries can consult airline consumer service representatives or aviation legal counsel for guidance on passenger rights.
National Ground stop has been lifted. Expect a whole lot of residual delays/cancelations and some start and stops along the way tonight and tomorrow.
Earlier coverage: US Flights Halted Nationwide Due to FAA Communication Outage