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FAA lifts nationwide ground stop that halted flights, including at Lubbock’s airport

By Jerry Rodriquez

As of 7:55 p.m. CT Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration has lifted the nationwide ground stop that halted departing flights Friday afternoon, including at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport.

The Associated Press reported Friday evening that the FAA said airplane departures could resume after the agency lifted the stop, which was caused by communications problems at regional air traffic control centers. Atlanta News First, a Gray Media station, reported that the agency canceled the stop shortly before 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. Central). The Washington Post reported that it ended shortly after 8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central). NPR, updated at 8:38 p.m. Eastern, said the stop had ended according to the FAA and had lasted about four hours.

As of 7:56 p.m. CT, the FAA’s National Airspace System Status page no longer listed a nationwide ground stop among active airport or en-route events. A numbered command-center cancellation advisory was not posted after Advisory 120 when we checked, and the FAA’s earlier newsroom statement had not yet been updated to announce the lift.

Delays and cancellations were still stacking up. NPR, citing FlightAware, said that as of 8 p.m. Eastern, more than 10,000 U.S. flights had been delayed Friday and 5,000 had been canceled. The NAS Status page still showed ground-delay programs at some airports, including average delays of 26 minutes at Boston Logan and 34 minutes at San Diego because of volume, and a longer delay at San Francisco because of wind.

What the FAA ordered

The first nationwide order went out at 2:54 p.m. CT, according to ATCSCC Advisory 111. It told aircraft operators that, “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety,” all airports were ground-stopped and “all departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice.” Inbound international flights, the notice said, would be managed case by case.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said a communications issue was affecting the Air Route Traffic Control Centers that handle traffic between airports, and that FAA technicians were investigating, KCBD and FOX 34 reported earlier Friday, relying on a Gray Media national report. A later command-center notice, ATCSCC Advisory 120, issued at 4:46 p.m. CT, gave the reason as a “communications failure” and said the stop remained in effect, with flights to be allowed to leave in stages as those centers recovered. That notice listed the event through about 10 p.m. CT.

KCBD and FOX 34 later updated the headline on that Associated Press story to say the stop had been lifted. The AP live blog, updated at 8:45 p.m. Eastern, said the FAA had lifted the stop and that departures could resume.

What it means in Lubbock

Kelly Campbell, executive director of Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, said Friday that the national grounding would affect the Lubbock airport. Passengers with existing flights should check with their airline for updates on delays or cancellations, EverythingLubbock (KLBK/KAMC) reported, citing Campbell’s statement.

EverythingLubbock, in a story posted at 4:24 p.m. CT and updated at 4:25 p.m. CT, also said the airport’s website showed the last plane had departed at about 2:22 p.m. and that, at that time, no flights were in the air heading to Lubbock. That story had not been updated after the stop was lifted, and we have not seen a new statement from the airport this evening. Treat those board details as the midafternoon picture, not as a current departure board.

EverythingLubbock also reported that Lubbock Aerocare, which handles emergency medical flights, said it was not affected by the stop and could still respond to emergency medical calls.

KCBD earlier posted a video under the headline “Flights rescheduled at Lubbock airport as FAA ground stop continues.” As of 7:55 p.m. CT, that page still carried that headline and did not offer a new post-lift readout of Lubbock flights.

If you have a flight tonight

The nationwide hold on departures has been lifted, so flights can begin moving again. That does not mean every delayed or canceled trip is suddenly back on schedule. Check directly with your airline — including its app or website and any message it has sent you — before you leave for the terminal. If you are already at the airport, follow instructions from your airline at the gate.

How unusual this is

KCBD and FOX 34, citing that Gray Media report, said this was the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned, and that the last one before that was after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

We will update this story if the airport or airlines provide a more current picture of Lubbock flights, or if the FAA posts a formal cancellation advisory.

Sources

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