FAA Ground Stop Causes Flight Cancellations and Delays at NYC Airports

A nationwide FAA ground stop triggered widespread flight cancellations and massive delays at New York City area airports on Friday.

The sudden stoppage left travelers at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark in a state of uncertainty as departure boards shifted rapidly to show “Canceled” or “Delayed” status. LaGuardia Airport faced flight delays of two to four hours and many cancellations.

While most regional travel stalled, departures to London remained largely unaffected and stayed on schedule. At Newark Liberty International Airport, arriving flights faced delays of approximately 43 minutes, while departing flights saw wait times reach an hour and a half and continue to climb.

This reminds me exactly of what happened on 9/11. I was flying for @Delta from Atlanta to LaGuardia. It’s real. https://t.co/5anZFdzoo0

— Post by @BuzzPatterson on X

“This FAA ground stop is crazy. My dad’s at JFK and his flight to London has been halted along with everyone else’s,” Sloan Ashton wrote on social media. “He hasn’t received any further information and it’s such a mess there.”

Communications outage disrupts air traffic control

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that a communications issue is currently affecting the 22 regional air traffic control centers responsible for directing aircraft between airports across the country. FAA technicians are investigating the source of the disruption.

Nationwide ground stop impacting JFK, LaGuardia, Newark airports — CBS New York

According to a report from Yahoo, a pilot on a United Airlines flight to Los Angeles informed passengers that the outage originated in the Kansas City Center. This center manages the airspace over the middle of the United States, and the resulting communications failure spread nationwide.

The FAA issued a notice stating the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”

FAA ground stop ordered nationwide, including major NYC-area airports — Eyewitness News ABC7NY

“Yesterday I was at JFK for 8 hours waiting through six delays until the flight was finally cancelled and I had to stay an extra night,” Connor Boyack wrote on X. “I’m back at the airport now and… then this happened.”

The stoppage is historically large. This represents only the second time the FAA has ordered a nationwide grounding of all flights since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Nyc airport chaos laguardia closure tsa delays jfk newark

“This reminds me exactly of what happened on 9/11. I was flying for @Delta from Atlanta to LaGuardia,” former U.S. Air Force Pilot Buzz Patterson wrote on X. “It’s real.”

Travelers face long waits for baggage and rebooking

The chaos extended beyond the gates and into the terminals. A reporter for the New York Daily News, whose flight from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale was canceled, reported overhearing travelers being told to expect two-hour waits to reclaim checked bags from planes they never boarded.

For some, the disruption prompted a total change in plans. Denise Frias, 41, told the New York Daily News she would not be rescheduling her canceled flight to Miami due to the cold weather forecast. “I’m ordering my Uber,” she said.

Passengers at NYC-area airport left scrambling after FAA ground stop — CBS New York

Other travelers expressed frustration over the compounding nature of the delays. “So yesterday I was at JFK for 12 hours now I’m at Newark for 7 and the FAA shuts down every flight???!!! Outlook, now this?” Bryce Marin wrote on X. “Plz tell me a grid shutdown isn’t next. Honestly worst luck.”

A United Airlines pilot told passengers on a flight to Los Angeles that the ground stop was expected to last until 11 p.m. Eastern Time.