FAA nationwide flight grounding brings departures to a halt at MSP airport

Flights out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and all other airports across the United States were ordered grounded Friday afternoon by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Details

“Due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety, attention all aircraft operators,” the FAA advisory began, “all departing traffic should remain on the ground until further notice. Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there is a communications issue affecting the 22 regional air traffic control centers that direct planes en route between airports nationwide. He said FAA technicians are investigating. This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023 when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned.

The most high-profile flight grounding came following the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. Flights resumed two days later.

Jeff Lea, spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), said the notice from the FAA came in shortly before 3 p.m.

Expanded image view

Several departures listed as “delayed” at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in St. Paul, Minn. on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights nationwide Friday afternoon because of communications problems at regional air traffic control centers.

Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

“Flights in the air should be able to land,” Lea said. “We are keeping planes on the ground so more don’t get in the air.”

Lea said that anyone who was scheduled to fly out of MSP in the coming hours “should contact their airline to get the latest status. ... This is a developing situation.”

Lea said there was no timeline on when normal operations will resume, and the MAC was waiting on word from the FAA.