FAA halted all US departures, 3 days after expanding its AI tool to 22 centers.

The FAA's newsroom statement, read at faa.gov, says the agency "issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers," and that "FAA technicians are investigating the issue." The advisory was issued at 3:54 pm Eastern on Friday November 13, 2026, per the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, and cited "extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote that it followed a communication issue impacting "all Air Route Traffic Control Centers." It was the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023. FlightAware counted more than 3,220 flights cancelled and about 10,200 delayed as of 6:40 pm Eastern. An internal FAA target of 5 pm Eastern passed without a lift, the agency said shortly after 6 pm Eastern that the stop remained in effect, the advisory was listed through 11:30 pm Eastern, and departures resumed that evening. Three days earlier, on November 10, the FAA announced it was expanding its AI supported Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories system, SMART, to all 22 air route traffic control centers. SMART was built under an $875 million, 12 year contract awarded to Air Space Intelligence in June 2026, and launched on September 21, 2026 around Reagan National, Dulles and Baltimore/Washington. It combines about 200 data streams and sends scheduling recommendations to the Command Center in Warrenton, Virginia; facilities decide whether to act, and controllers keep responsibility for separation. The FAA says SMART has rerouted 180 flights, saving about 10 minutes and 80 gallons of fuel each. On October 9 more than two dozen lawmakers asked the FAA to pause the rollout; the November 10 announcement did not answer them. Air Space Intelligence wrote on X that "The current ground stop is not based on or a result of the SMART system" or any of its products or its FAA integration. Microsoft wrote that it has "no indication" the stop is related to any Microsoft services. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters at the White House "We're looking at that," "You can't rule out anything at this point," and "it's just a telecommunications outage." No cause has been named.

1. Jun 2026

   The FAA awards Air Space Intelligence an $875 million, 12 year contract for SMART, an AI system to manage airspace, routes and trajectories across the national system.

2. Sep 21

   SMART goes live in the airspace around Reagan National, Dulles and Baltimore/Washington. Duffy, at the launch: "We are not outsourcing aviation to AI."

3. Oct 9

   More than two dozen lawmakers write to Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford asking for a pause until questions on safety evaluation, training and oversight are answered. They get no pause.

4. Nov 10

   The FAA announces SMART is expanding to all 22 air route traffic control centers. It does not answer the lawmakers' questions. The agency reports 180 flights rerouted since September 21.

5. Nov 13

   At 3:54 pm Eastern the FAA stops departures nationwide, citing communication issues at multiple en route centers. Air Space Intelligence and Microsoft deny involvement. Mullin rules nothing out. Departures resume that evening.