Transatlantic passengers in the UK faced disruption as air traffic control problems brought flights to a standstill across the US.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted all flights nationwide on Friday “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety” following communications problems at regional air traffic control centres.
US airspace reopened on Friday evening after four hours, but US officials said recovery would be slow, with tens of thousands of passengers stranded and analysts expecting disruption to last for days.
Almost 10,000 flights were cancelled according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
By Saturday morning the knock-on effect in the UK was limited to delays on some flights on US carriers.
Tim Johnson, consumer director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “While US flights have resumed, there may be some follow-on disruption as airlines work to re-book affected passengers and get all services back to normal.”
“Anyone due to travel on flights between the UK and USA should check with their airline for the latest information before heading to the airport.”
Read MoreUS ground stop lifted after FAA order halted air traffic and left thousands waiting at airports
Possible disruption expected for UK travellers after flights grounded across US
Read more on FAA ground stop
- FAA lifts ground stop order
- Flights have started to takeoff after the ground stop ends
- Delays and cancellations in UK after US travel turbulence
- Watch: Flight tracker shows US airspace thin out dramatically after ground stop announcement
ICYMI: Scene from the nation's airports because of the ground stop
12:51 , Alex Lang
Sean Duffy admits he doesn't know if the problem will happen again
12:07 , Alex LangDuffy: Is the same thing going to happen again? I don’t know
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 14, 2026
Radel: Did this have to do with the AI program? pic.twitter.com/UYFkBJAx3E
Disruption to UK passengers has eased
11:45 , Dan HaygarthDisruption to transatlantic travellers in the UK has eased after air traffic control problems brought flights to a standstill across the US.
By Saturday morning the knock-on effect in the UK was limited to delays on some flights on US carriers.
The 9.55am American airlines flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, 11.50am American airlines flight to Dallas, Texas, and 11.55am American airlines flight to Los Angeles, California, were among those showing as cancelled on departure boards at Heathrow airport.
'I'd rather just rebook the flight'
11:28 , Alex LangIn Portland, Oregon, some travelers told outlet KGW about the difficulty in dealing with the ground stop.
"I tried a train; I can't get there. It's not worth it," Karyn Jensen said. "I tried five rental car places; most of them said we only do both ways and four of them said they were full. I'm less concerned — I'll get to my daughter; I'm less concerned about that — I'm more concerned about the bigger picture of this."
Fellow traveler Maggie Gross just gave up on her travel hopes.
"I'm thinking to myself ‘I'm not going to stay at the airport for five or six hours when I have a bed in Salem, Oregon,’" she said. "I'd rather just rebook the flight."
Manchester Airport not expecting significant delays
11:18 , Dan HaygarthA spokesperson for Manchester Airport said earlier on Saturday that there is not expected to be any “significant” delays after flights were grounded across the US for several hours on Friday.
He said in a statement: “We’re due to have three flights to the US today. They’re all in the air and en route here with slight delays – but nothing significant.
“The three flights are to New York, Orlando and Atlanta – all operated by Virgin Atlantic. Our advice to passengers is simply to keep an eye out for any updates to their flight times but to plan to travel as usual.”
Watch: Flight tracker shows US airspace thin out dramatically after ground stop announcement
11:00 , Dan HaygarthPassenger details flight being diverted
10:40 , Alex LangRon Schoenbaum told the Associated Press he was traveling from California to Florida when his connecting flight was diverted to Kansas City.
He spent an hour on hold with American Airlines while waiting in line. He was rebooked for a later flight he was warned would likely get delayed.
“I can’t even get a hotel room because I don’t know if the flight’s going to be pushed ’til tomorrow, so I just got to wait at the airport,” he said.
But he didn’t sound too upset by the notion and admitted he was going to check out the famous Kansas City barbecue as he waited.
“It’s not that big of a deal,” he said.
Only second time flights have been grounded across US since September 11 attacks
10:28 , Dan HaygarthThis is only the second time flights have been grounded across the US since the September 11 terror attacks in 2001.
Flights were halted by the FAA in January 2023 because of a system error.
US homeland security secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters at the White House that the introduction of some new technology into an old air traffic control system overwhelmed it.
Mr Mullin added “it doesn’t appear” that a cyber attack or rogue artificial intelligence played a role in the incident.
American transportation secretary Sean Duffy said he expected flights around the US to be “back up and operational as we come into the heat of travel” next weekend ahead of the American Thanksgiving holiday, but he also suggested more disruptions might occur.
“We didn’t think we would have this kind of outage. We did,” he said.
“We were able to review what went wrong, and then reboot the system and go. But, you will have more of these.”
NY Rep Jerry Nadler blasts Trump team over the ground stop
10:07 , Alex LangIt is outrageous that under Donald Trump and Sean Duffy, air travel has already been brought to a standstill for the longest period since 9/11 and counting. Millions of Americans are stranded, and families, businesses, and livelihoods are paying the price.
— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) November 13, 2026
Instead of answers,…
UK affected by delays to some US carriers
09:51 , Dan HaygarthBy Saturday morning the knock-on effect in the UK was limited to delays on some flights on US carriers.
The 9.55am American airlines flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, 11.50am American airlines flight to Dallas, Texas, and 11.55am American airlines flight to Los Angeles, California, were among those showing as cancelled on departure boards at Heathrow airport.
Tim Johnson, consumer director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “While US flights have resumed, there may be some follow-on disruption as airlines work to re-book affected passengers and get all services back to normal.”
“Anyone due to travel on flights between the UK and USA should check with their airline for the latest information before heading to the airport.
“We know that UK airlines are doing all they can to minimise inconvenience and to make sure their customers are properly looked after.
Sean Duffy explains what caused the ground stop isssues
09:19 , Alex LangToday’s nationwide ground stop happened because our air traffic control system is operating on DECADES-OLD, analog equipment that simply cannot compete with the demands of the 21st century.⁰@FAANews is modernizing this aging infrastructure thanks to a $12.5 billion down… pic.twitter.com/nXUPHkdNdV
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 14, 2026
'I might cry at some point but not yet'
09:01 , Dan Haygarth
Though the ground stop has been lifted, the disruption for passengers was far from over.
From Boston to Seattle and New York to Los Angeles, passengers crowded departure halls and airline desks as delays and cancellations mounted and aircraft remained parked at gates.
Thousands of passengers faced being stranded overnight. Edward Kargbo, 50, from West Chester, Pennsylvania, had been scheduled to take a 9pm Ethiopian Airlines flight to Lomé, Togo.
Instead, he planned to spend the night at the airport before a rescheduled flight at 6am on Saturday.
“I have to squat the night here,” he said. “I’m stranded.”
Louise Maher, 47, was also caught up in the disruption at Newark after her British Airways flight to London was disrupted by the aviation meltdown.
“I might cry at some point but not yet,” she said.
In full: UK airports face major disruption as United States grounds all flights
08:45 , Dan Haygarth
UK airports face major disruption as United States grounds all flights
Democrat calls for investigation into ground stop
08:17 , Alex LangThe safety of our skies is built on redundancies. Whatever led to the nationwide ground stop will warrant a thorough and complete investigation.
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) November 13, 2026
As Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member, I'll be demanding answers from the FAA. https://t.co/kCJts7xBRm
Delays and cancellations in UK after US travel turbulence
08:06 , Dan HaygarthTravellers in the UK are facing disruption after air traffic control problems brought flights to a standstill across the US.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted all flights nationwide for several hours on Friday “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety” following communications problems at regional air traffic control centres.
London Heathrow’s website said an 8.20am flight to Dallas Fort Worth had been cancelled, along with a 9.55am flight to Charlotte and a 10am flight to Houston.
A 10.35am British Airways flight to New York City was also cancelled, while multiple other outgoing flights on US carriers were listed as delayed.
Responding to customers on X, British Airways apologised for possible delays and cancellations.
It also recommended passengers travel to the airport as planned to arrive for the original departure time, unless informed otherwise.
A British Airways spokesperson said: “Following the air traffic control issue in the United States, our flights are operating as normal.
“Whilst this matter was entirely outside of our control, we want to thank our customers for bearing with us, and our colleagues for supporting them and helping to minimise any disruption.”
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said there is not expected to be any “significant” delays on Saturday.
It is understood the situation is expected to have minimal impact on London Gatwick Airport.
Hertz see an increase in car rental activity
07:31 , Alex LangAccording to NBC News, Hertz car rental saw an increase in one-way rental requests from travelers impacted by the ground stop.
"Our teams are closely monitoring demand and working quickly to accommodate travelers and manage vehicle availability across our network as conditions evolve,” the company said.
JetBlue expects disruptions on Saturday
06:41 , Alex LangJetBlue warned that, because of the ground stop it expected disruptions to continue on Saturday.
“We expect disruptions to continue into tomorrow, including additional cancellations,” the company posted on social media Friday night.
The company said passengers could find a fee waiver online. They could also find options for rebooking their flight.
Former transportation secretary rips current administration
06:19 , Alex Lang.@PeteButtigieg: "We did a lot to upgrade the system. When we had an outage, I didn't stand there complaining about the Trump administration. We got to work... I'm certain that that's what career officials...at FAA and USDOT are doing. This should not be about politics." pic.twitter.com/RxD0dcD7a6
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 14, 2026
More scenes from airports after the ground stop
05:23 , Alex Lang
FAA speaks out on ground stop ending
04:39 , Alex LangThe safety of the flying public is always the FAA’s highest priority. The FAA lifted the ground stop and some flight departures are resuming. Before clearing flights to resume, we thoroughly tested our systems to confirm they were stable and that operations remain reliable.…
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) November 14, 2026
Newsom calls out Trump for not posting about ground stop
04:16 , Alex LangWorth noting: The President, who goes on unhinged posting sprees at all hours of the day and night about the most petty, hateful, trivial nonsense, has somehow found nothing to say about a frightening nationwide aviation ground stop that has stranded Americans for hours. Not a…
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) November 14, 2026
‘Sorry folks, but you’re going to have to get off the plane’
03:45 , Alex LangA passenger at Detroit Metro Airport described the moment she found out about the ground stop. She was on the runway on her way to St. Louis when they found out.
"The flight attendant got on first and said, 'Sorry folks, but you’re going to have to get off the plane,' " Carol Morton told the Detroit Free Press. "Then the pilot got on and said, 'I've never seen this before. But air traffic control can't communicate with the airplanes ... I can't tell you how long it's going to take, but we're going to have to ask you to leave the plane.'”
A picture says it all...
03:04 , Alex Lang
Flights have started to takeoff after the ground stop ends
02:48 , Alex LangFlights across the nation are starting takeoff after a 5-hour ground stop halted the nation’s flying.
“Delta is safely resuming operations now that the FAA-mandated nationwide ground stop has been lifted,” the airline said in a statement.
“While flights have started departing, it will take time to reset our operation, including the positioning of aircraft and crews,” the company said.
Sean Duffy admits it will take time to return to normal
02:41 , Alex LangAfter restoring full functionality at our air traffic control centers and TRACONs, the @FAANews reopened the airspace tonight.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 14, 2026
It will take us time resume normal operations, so please continue to check with your airline for the latest information. Our top priority is the safety… pic.twitter.com/QcTcXoaS8M
Sean Duffy calls on Congress to fund air traffic improvements
01:48 , Alex LangDUFFY ON GROUND STOP: The president has asked for $30 billion. I want $50 billion. Congress wastes a lot of money. Let's get the money so we never have to come at 830 at night and have a press conference on why air travel was shut down pic.twitter.com/TWZigdoFJ6
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 14, 2026
'The public was never at danger'
01:42 , Alex LangMullin: The public was never at danger through this process. There was never any lives at risk. All your loved ones are safe. We are working to resolve the issue, and we hope to have operations up and going normal at some point. pic.twitter.com/bMBq1vzH7c
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 14, 2026
FAA ground stop lifted
01:34 , Alex LangThe FAA Command Center has announced the end of the ground stop
No evidence of cyber attack
01:33 , Alex LangDepartment of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirms no evidence of a cyber attack. He made the announcement as he spoke at the White House Friday night.
See the number of delays increase
01:23 , Alex LangDelays and cancellations started cascading last hour.
— Flighty (@Flighty) November 13, 2026
It will only magnify from here.
Soon there is a point of Airlines/Officials calling off today, to start working on tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Pr7DyH1MAK
Chair of House's Aviation subcommittee speaks out
00:52 , Alex LangI have requested updates from the FAA to learn what has caused this outage and what needs to be done to fix it. Safety must come first.
— André Carson (@RepAndreCarson) November 14, 2026
Passengers deserve clear, timely updates.
'It just sucks, it really does'
00:48 , Alex LangIn Miami, passengers were dealing with the disappointment of not being able to travel to their destination.
Emily Esterly and her family were waiting to get home to Philadelphia and spoke to 7News about the situation.
“I’m just bummed. I wanted to go home, I mean, it’s great to be here but not in the airport so I think we’re trying to figure out if we can avoid checking our bags ’cause we don’t wanna lose them if we have to stay overnight,” she said.
Chad Beverage was also at the airport for his annual father-son trip.
“It just sucks, it really does. And the flow of information, I mean, stuff is still new but it’s, you know, from the flight deck, they say we’ll have an update in 10 minutes, then 25 minutes, then you go on X and you see next update by the FAA is 5 o’clock, and then the flight deck says FAA is not gonna give an update ’til 11 p.m., but then they want you to hang around the gate and I can’t do that with a young kid,” he said.
Amtrak seeing increased calls
00:15 , Alex LangWe apologize for the error messages on both our website and app, as well as the difficulty reaching a representative. We're currently experiencing higher-than-normal call volumes due to ongoing airline issues. Furthermore, we recommend trying again later. Thank you.
— Amtrak (@Amtrak) November 13, 2026
