PHILIPSBURG:--- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13, after a communications problem affected the air traffic control centers that guide aircraft between airports. The order halted departures from U.S. airports shortly before 5 p.m. Sint Maarten time.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the problem affected all 22 regional air traffic control centers. FAA technicians were investigating. The agency had already halted traffic in Chicago over communications problems before expanding the stop nationwide. The reports reviewed did not identify the underlying cause or provide a confirmed time for departures to resume.
Aircraft already in the air could land
The FAA directed departing aircraft to remain on the ground until further notice. Aircraft already airborne could still land, and the agency said it would handle inbound international flights on a case-by-case basis. When departing aircraft remain at occupied gates, arriving planes may have to wait after landing. The extent of any gate congestion was unconfirmed.
For travelers using Princess Juliana International Airport, the immediate concern is a flight scheduled to leave the United States for Sint Maarten or an itinerary that depends on a U.S. departure. Passengers should check directly with their airline for the status of their individual flights and connections.
Friday’s order was the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since January 2023, when a failure in the FAA system that distributes safety notices to pilots temporarily halted departures.
Microsoft outage and European emergency guidance
Microsoft reported service problems affecting Microsoft 365 and some consumer products, with disruptions reported across Outlook, Teams and Copilot. Available reporting established no link between Microsoft’s outage and the FAA communications problem. European authorities confirmed that a wave of cybersecurity incidents on November 1–2 affected commercial refrigeration systems in several EU countries, forcing some supermarkets to discard spoiled food. Investigators have established no link between the refrigeration incidents and either the Microsoft outage or the FAA ground stop.
The U.K. government’s Be Ready campaign advises households to have three days’ worth of supplies. Sweden’s standing guidance recommends being able to manage for at least one week, while the European Commission’s preparedness strategy, published in March 2025, calls for guidelines covering at least 72 hours of household self-sufficiency. These are general emergency preparedness measures.