Last updated: Nov. 13, 2026, at 2:39 p.m. Arizona time. This is a developing story.
The FAA nationwide ground stop announced Friday afternoon followed a communication issue at all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, Secretary Sean Duffy said.
At 2:16 p.m. Arizona time (21:16 UTC) on Nov. 13, 2026, Duffy posted that 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.”
News outlets including CNBC and the BBC reported that an FAA advisory described the halt as “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.” CNBC, citing the FAA, also reported that inbound international flights would be managed case by case. As of this writing, the FAA homepage did not carry a separate newsroom release on the stop, and Duffy had not posted a follow-up.
What we know about the FAA nationwide ground stop
A ground stop holds aircraft at the departure airport. Nationwide stops are rare. CNBC noted two earlier examples: a January 2023 pause tied to a problem with the agency’s Notices to Air Missions system, and the nationwide halt after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
What the FAA status boards show now
As of Nov. 13, 2026, at 2:39 p.m. Arizona time, the FAA’s National Airspace System Status page no longer listed a nationwide ground stop, and it showed no active ground stops at individual airports. The BBC reported that the nationwide alert appeared on the FAA site and was later removed, and that it was unclear how many flights remained grounded. At least one airport still showed departure delays with a traffic-management reason that referenced the nationwide stop: FLL, MIA listed “TM Initiatives:STOP:NAS GS.”
The FAA nationwide ground stop is no longer listed as an active nationwide program on that board. That is not the same as a formal statement that every flight is moving again. The FAA nationwide ground stop was announced in the early afternoon Arizona time, and the public boards can change quickly. Travelers should still check their airline before leaving for the airport.
Phoenix Sky Harbor and Prescott Regional travelers
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) was not under a ground stop on the FAA board at that check. The FAA’s airport status page for PHX said: “Due to TM Initiatives:Other:EQ, traffic is experiencing Gate Hold and Taxi delays between 46 minutes and 1 hour in length and increasing.” Arrival traffic is experiencing airborne delays of 15 minutes or less. Delays by Destination: No destination-specific delays are being reported. The FAA page said that information was last updated Nov 13, 2026 at 9:39 PM UTC Glossary of Air Traffic Management Terms – A table containing definitions and/or descriptions of many common Air Traffic Management acronyms. The FAA notes that this is general airport information, not flight-specific.
Prescott Regional Airport (PRC) did not appear on the National Airspace System status event list, which shows airports with active delay, ground-stop or closure programs. That does not, by itself, mean every PRC flight is running on time. While the FAA nationwide ground stop was in effect, it applied to U.S. airports generally, including smaller commercial fields. People flying out of Prescott, or connecting through Phoenix, should check with their airline, the Prescott Regional flight status page and the airport website before heading to the terminal.
What passengers should do
If you are traveling today, treat the FAA nationwide ground stop as a developing disruption and confirm your own itinerary:
- Check your airline’s app or phone line for your specific flight, including later connections that may still be catching up.
- Check Phoenix flight information on the Sky Harbor flights page and the FAA’s PHX status page.
- Watch the FAA National Airspace System Status page for new ground stops or delays.
- Build in extra time. Delays can continue after a stop is no longer listed.
For other travel conditions around Northern Arizona, Bridge News is also tracking Northern Arizona road closures this week.
Citations and resource links
- Secretary Sean Duffy’s post announcing the FAA nationwide ground stop
- FAA National Airspace System Status
- FAA airport status for Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor flight information
- Prescott Regional Airport flight status
- CNBC report on the FAA ground stop
- BBC live coverage of the U.S. ground-stop alert
