By Camilo Diniz
The United States grounded its skies on Friday (Nov. 13). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the agency that oversees American air traffic, ordered a suspension of all takeoffs at every airport in the country, citing "extraordinary circumstances and safety reasons." The measure, rare in American aviation history, remains in force "until further notice."
The FAA's official notice projects the stoppage until 11:30 p.m. Washington time (1:30 a.m. Saturday in Brasília), but there is no guarantee that flights will resume then. The order came from the FAA Command Center in the late afternoon, Brasília time, and was published on the official U.S. airspace status system. No aircraft can take off from American airports while it is in effect. Planes already in the air may continue and land normally.
What caused the US takeoff suspension
According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the order followed a communications problem that affected all of the country's Air Route Traffic Control Centers, the facilities that track aircraft in cruising flight. FAA technicians are investigating the failure, and Duffy promised immediate updates.
An earlier alert concerning O'Hare Airport in Chicago described an equipment outage affecting takeoffs in all of the country's air traffic control zones. As of publication, authorities had not said what caused the problem, nor had they ruled out any hypothesis.
International flights and Brazilian passengers
According to the FAA alert, international flights bound for the U.S. are being evaluated case by case. Airports such as Logan, in Boston, confirmed they were affected by the order and asked passengers to check directly with their airlines.
Anyone with a trip to the United States, or a connection there, should:
- check the flight status on the airline's app or website before leaving home;
- avoid going to the airport without confirmation of the departure time;
- keep receipts for extra expenses, such as hotel and meals, to request reimbursement;
- follow official notices from the FAA and the airlines.
Why it matters
Nationwide takeoff stoppages are extremely rare in the United States, the world's largest aviation market, with tens of thousands of flights a day. According to Reuters, this is only the second national suspension of takeoffs since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The previous one was in January 2023, caused by an outage in the FAA's computer system, and lasted less than two hours.
A failure that hits all control centers at once raises questions about the security and fragility of American air infrastructure. Cascading effects, including delays and cancellations, are expected to spread around the world, including to flights from Brazil.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the U.S. suspend takeoffs? The FAA cited "extraordinary circumstances and safety reasons." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the order to a communications problem that affected all air traffic control centers.
Were flights from Brazil to the U.S. affected? International flights bound for the U.S. are being evaluated case by case. Passengers should check with their airline.
How long will the suspension last? The order is valid "until further notice." As of publication, there was no forecast for resumption.
This is a developing story and will be updated. Sources: FAA, U.S. Department of Transportation, CBS News, Reuters.
