UPDATE:
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted the nationwide ground stop.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority issued a statement to WFTV stating: “We continue to ask passengers to please check with their airlines to confirm future departure times. Please encourage viewers and readers to avoid coming to the airport unless they have confirmed with the airline that the flight will depart.
As of now, MCO anticipates 90 cancellations for Saturday (tomorrow); however, this number may fluctuate as airlines resume operations.
Our partner Visit Orlando has arranged discounted hotel rates through Rosen Hotels and Resorts for those who have proof of a ticket on an impacted flight, and through Hilton Orlando, which is offering a distressed rate."
Stay with Channel 9 for the latest developments.
PREVIOUS STORY:
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide ground stop Friday following communication issues affecting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers, the agency confirmed to WFTV.
“FAA technicians are investigating the issue,” the agency said in a preliminary statement. “We will provide updates.”
The statement did not identify the cause of the communication issues or provide an estimate for when departures would resume.
No departures at Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is receiving flights already en route, but no flights are departing, according to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
Airport officials said all flights are delayed. Approximately 220 departures are scheduled between 3:30 p.m. and midnight, though officials have not said how many will ultimately be affected.
Passengers should check with their airlines to confirm updated departure times.
Travelers should check with their airlines for updates on individual flights.
The @FAAnews 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.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 13, 2026
A similar nationwide halt occurred in 2023
The FAA previously paused departures nationwide on Jan. 11, 2023, after an outage in its Notice to Air Missions system, which provides flight crews with critical safety information.
That ground stop lasted roughly two hours and was lifted at 9:07 a.m. Eastern after system testing, according to FAA testimony.
The agency later determined that contractors had unintentionally deleted files while correcting synchronization between the system’s primary and backup databases.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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