The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a rare nationwide ground stop Friday for all airports due to a communication issue affecting air traffic control.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters it was due to a "telecommunications outage" and that there was no indication the incident was a "nefarious attack."
Nearly 5,000 flights have been canceled amid the issue.
FAA orders rare nationwide ground stop: What to know
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop Friday for all airports due to a communication issue affecting air traffic control.
The agency's alert said the stop was "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety."
United, JetBlue to cancel most of the night's remaining flights
Amid the ground stop, United Airlines said it plans to cancel the majority of its remaining flights for the night, with exceptions for some international flights.
JetBlue said it is also canceling all remaining flights on Friday, save for Europe-bound flights departing from JFK and Boston.
"Flights already in the air are continuing to their destinations," JetBlue said in a statement. "We expect disruptions to continue into tomorrow, including additional cancellations."
16 minutes ago
Big 12 Conference 'evaluating' potential changes to Saturday games
The Big 12 Conference said Friday it is "evaluating any potential changes to Saturday's football schedule" due to the national ground stop.
"The Conference will continue to monitor the travel disruptions alongside its member institutions and provide updates for Saturday's games," the college athletic conference said in a statement.
54 minutes ago
Where flights are taking off amid ground stop
A small number of flights are taking off over the ocean and in Alaska and Hawaii.
Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines said in a statement that flights within Hawaii and from the West Coast to Hawaii can continue. International flights from Hawaii are also cleared.
Hawaii's Department of Transportation said that flights between Anchorage to Oakland and Hawaii can fly.
An airplane is parked on the tarmac after the US Federal Aviation Administration issued a national ground stop "due to extraordinary circumstances and reasons for safety" following the agency's earlier report of serious air traffic control communications issues, at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, in SeaTac, Washington, Nov. 13, 2026.
David Ryder/Reuters
San Francisco International Airport said that Pacific-bound flights are cleared to depart from the airport, including to destinations in Alaska and Hawaii.
Ontario Airport in California said that flights heading west over the ocean are allowed to take off from the airport at this time.
Boston Logan said in a post that the FAA is permitting some transatlantic flights to depart.
-ABC News' Bonnie McClean
1 hour and 8 minutes ago
FAA ground stop issued over Air Route Traffic Control Centers
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in an X post Friday that the ground stop was "due a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers."
Planes wait on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, New York on Nov. 13, 2026.
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
Air Route Traffic Control Centers are responsible for communication for all flights above 18,000 feet. There are 22 of these towers located in some of the nation's major hubs including New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta.
