Passenger airplanes sit at the gates as another plane in the background taxis before departing from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, Illinois, on November 14, 2026. Flights in the United States are resuming on Saturday after being grounded for several hours due to a major communications outage on November 13, though authorities said returning to normal operations would take time. Friday's nationwide ground stop sparked widespread chaos and left hundreds of thousands of passengers in limbo, with some pulled off planes moments before departure by airline staff who appeared in the dark about unfolding events. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP)
November 14, 2026
FAA says more than 16,000 flights canceled in US air disruption
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—The United States (US) federal aviation regulator said that the disruption to air travel due to a communications failure will lead to the cancellation of more than 16,000 flights by Saturday.
Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford told a news conference that 12,000 flights were cancelled on Friday and added: “We do anticipate somewhere between four and five thousand of the 41,000 flights that are scheduled today likely will cancel.”
