FAA halts departures nationwide, holding flights at Melbourne and Orlando airports
The transportation secretary blamed a communication issue affecting all air route traffic control centers. Travelers should check with their airline before leaving for the airport.
Written with AI assistance, with sources linked below.
Confirmed by: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on X, Nov. 13, 2026, FAA National Airspace System Status, FAA on X, Nov. 13, 2026, Melbourne Orlando International Airport
Updates
- 5:34 p.m.: Melbourne Orlando International Airport said on X at 5:14 p.m. that it is aware of the nationwide ground stop and monitoring developments, and asked travelers to contact their airline for the latest on delays or cancellations before heading to the airport. As of 5:32 p.m., the FAA had not announced that the stop was lifted, and its status page still showed departure delays tied to the national stop at major airports.
- 5:07 p.m.: The FAA said on X at 5:02 p.m. that a temporary telecommunications outage led it to halt all flights "out of an abundance of caution," that every flight has been accounted for, and that international flights will be handled case by case. Orlando International Airport told travelers to check with their airlines before heading out. The FAA had not yet announced that the ground stop was lifted.
Flights leaving Orlando Melbourne International, Orlando International and every other U.S. airport were held on the ground Friday afternoon, Nov. 13, after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a rare nationwide ground stop. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X the FAA issued the stop "following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," and that FAA technicians are investigating.
In the order, the FAA told all departing traffic to stay on the ground until further notice and said inbound international flights would be handled case by case, CNBC and 6abc reported. Flights already in the air were not ordered to land, according to USA Today. The last nationwide ground stop was in January 2023, CNBC reported.
As of 4:32 p.m. EST, the FAA's airspace status page showed departures from Orlando International delayed by about an hour. The FAA had not announced when the stop would be fully lifted.
If you're flying out of Melbourne, Orlando or Sanford tonight, check your flight status with your airline before heading to the airport. We'll update this story when the FAA gives the all clear.
Sources
- Secretary Sean Duffy on X, Nov. 13, 2026 x.com/SecDuffy/status/2121351591106072679
- FAA National Airspace System Status nasstatus.faa.gov/
- CNBC, Nov. 13, 2026 www.cnbc.com/2026/11/13/faa-ground-stop.html
Show all 9 sourcesShow fewer
- USA Today, Nov. 13, 2026 www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/11/13/faa-orders-nationwide-groundstop-at-us-airports-citing-safety/92765499007/
- 6abc Philadelphia, Nov. 13, 2026 6abc.com/post/nationwide-ground-stop-ordered-airports-including-philadelphia-international-airport-faa/20038842/
- WFTV on X, Nov. 13, 2026 x.com/WFTV/status/2121355490785439865
- FAA on X, Nov. 13, 2026, 5:02 p.m. x.com/FAANews/status/2121363171361575176
- Orlando International Airport on X, Nov. 13, 2026 x.com/MCO/status/2121359480839344204
- Melbourne Orlando International Airport on X, Nov. 13, 2026 x.com/FlyMLB/status/2121366099992485926
Spot something wrong? Request a correction · Our standards
Comments
Keep it friendly. Rude, hostile or personal-attack comments will be removed.
