11 p.m. is an advisory window, not a confirmed restart time
The FAA’s national ground stop advisory lists an event window ending at 11 p.m. Eastern time Friday, Nov. 13. That is not a guaranteed restart time: the same notice directs departing traffic to remain stopped until further notice and says inbound international flights will be managed individually.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon, directing departing aircraft to remain on the ground until further notice. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications problem was affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, according to ABC News.
What travelers need to know
What the FAA has confirmed
The Air Traffic Control System Command Center issued advisory No. 111 at 3:54 p.m. Eastern time. It applies to all airports and cites extraordinary circumstances and safety reasons for the departure restriction.
Here is @FAANews statement from its website pic.twitter.com/QeMOyNDzk1
— David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) November 13, 2026
The event window runs from 3:53 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time. Travelers should watch for a cancellation, extension or replacement advisory rather than assume that every flight will depart at the end of that window.
A ground stop holds departures. It does not, by itself, mean that an airline has canceled every affected flight. Reuters reported that aircraft already airborne could land. The FAA specifically said inbound international flights would be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Why are flights grounded?
Duffy said FAA technicians were investigating the communications issue. A detailed cause and confirmed restoration time had not been established in the official advisory and reporting reviewed for this update.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy:
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 13, 2026
"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… https://t.co/qHgRmaCGvW
The confirmed information concerns air traffic control communications. It does not establish that the problem is a cyberattack or that it is connected to another technology outage. The FAA’s safety order should not be read as confirmation of either explanation.
What travelers in Rochester and Syracuse should do
A nationwide departure restriction matters to travelers starting a trip as well as those changing planes at a hub. For a specific itinerary, check the operating airline’s app or website, including each connecting flight, and keep departure notifications enabled.
Syracuse travelers can also use Syracuse Hancock International Airport’s arrival and departure links. Airport-wide notices provide context, but the airline’s flight-specific status remains the place to check an individual departure, cancellation or rebooking.
🚨🧵Thread of incoming reports from across the country for a nationwide ground stop ⬇️
— ATC (@theATCapp) November 13, 2026
Before changing plans, ask the airline whether the flight is delayed or canceled, what alternative service is available and whether accepting a new itinerary or voucher affects the options you want to keep. A listed delay is not a guarantee that the flight will eventually operate on the same schedule.
The FAA’s National Airspace System status page provides operational updates. Those notices describe airspace conditions, rather than the status of every passenger reservation. Follow the airline’s instructions about check-in and arrival at the airport.
Can passengers get a refund?
Under U.S. Department of Transportation refund guidance, a passenger is entitled to a ticket refund when an airline cancels a flight, regardless of the reason, and the passenger chooses not to travel or accept alternative compensation. A qualifying significant delay or schedule change can also trigger refund rights when the passenger declines the changed trip and other compensation.
For late arrivals, DOT’s significant-delay threshold is at least three hours for a domestic itinerary or six hours for an international itinerary. Other qualifying changes can include a different origin or destination airport, additional connections or an involuntary downgrade.
The ground stop alone does not automatically entitle every ticket holder to a refund. Eligibility depends on what happens to the individual itinerary and whether the passenger accepts travel, rebooking or other compensation. Travelers who booked through an agent should check DOT’s guidance for ticket-agent purchases as well.
What happens next?
The next decisive development will be an FAA notice lifting, extending or changing the restriction. An end to the ground stop would permit departures to resume under the applicable instructions; it would not guarantee an immediate departure for every delayed flight.
For more regional travel reporting, visit FingerLakes1.com’s Finger Lakes travel coverage.
Featured image: AI-generated editorial collage, not a photograph of this incident.
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