Verified and updated: November 15, 2026, 04:00 UTC (November 14, 11:00 p.m. EST).
Air Canada cancellations are continuing after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted its nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13. The immediate restriction is over, but aircraft and crews were left out of position across airline networks, so travellers may still face delays or cancellations. Air Canada says to check flight status before leaving for the airport and monitor its app and booking updates.
The disruption began with communications problems affecting multiple FAA air traffic control centres. U.S. transportation officials say a telecommunications issue affected systems used for air traffic control, prompting the FAA to stop flights as a precaution. Air Canada reported cancelling about 250 flights on Friday, affecting roughly 27,000 customers, and said the effects carried into Saturday.
On November 13, the FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for U.S. airports after communications issues affected multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centres. In its initial statement, the agency said technicians were investigating. The stop prevented affected departures from operating normally and disrupted flights travelling to and from U.S. airports, including cross-border services used by Canadian passengers.
On November 14, the U.S. Department of Transportation said telecommunications issues had affected the stability of communications and radar systems used by air traffic control. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described a contractor’s routine work switching old copper telecommunications lines to fibre at a remote FAA location as part of what officials believed had happened. The FAA’s public statement characterized its information as preliminary, so the detailed technical cause should be treated as an ongoing investigation, not a final finding.
The FAA lifted the ground stop Friday evening. That cleared the immediate restriction, but it could not instantly put every aircraft, crew or passenger back on the planned schedule. Air Canada said the disruption’s effects continued as aircraft and crews were out of position across its network. The airline’s travel notice warns that some flights may still be delayed or cancelled while operations recover.
A ground stop can affect more than a flight whose destination is in the United States. Airlines operate connected networks: an aircraft scheduled to fly from Toronto to Vancouver later in the day may first have arrived from a U.S. city. Crews also have assigned sequences of flights and rest requirements. If an earlier leg is stopped or delayed, the aircraft or crew may not be available for the next departure.
Flights crossing U.S. airspace can also be affected by air traffic restrictions even when neither endpoint is in the United States. The precise impact varies by route and operating conditions. This is why a Canadian domestic flight can change after a disruption centred on U.S. air traffic control, even if the FAA restriction did not apply directly to that domestic departure.
For flights to, from and within Canada, the Canadian Transportation Agency’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations set out airline obligations for delays and cancellations. The remedy depends on the circumstances, including whether the disruption was within the airline’s control, required for safety, or outside its control. When a cancellation is outside the carrier’s control and prevents the passenger from completing the itinerary within a reasonable time, the rules generally require rebooking or a refund, at the passenger’s choice. Compensation for inconvenience is tied to different conditions and does not automatically apply to every cancellation. Review the CTA’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations and its flight delays and cancellations guide, then contact the airline first if you believe an entitlement was missed.
There is no confirmed universal recovery time for every Air Canada route. U.S. officials said the airspace was open on Saturday but warned travellers to expect continued delays and cancellations as flights resumed. Air Canada likewise said full recovery would take time. Any estimate that an individual flight or route will be back to normal should be treated as provisional until the airline confirms it.
For the most useful update, follow the status of your own flight rather than relying only on general reports about the ground stop. A flight can be affected by aircraft positioning, crew availability or a separate operational issue after the FAA restriction ends.
Yes. The nationwide stop issued on November 13 was lifted Friday evening. Residual delays and cancellations may continue while airlines restore schedules.
The aircraft or crew assigned to your flight may have been delayed or left out of position by an earlier affected flight. Check your booking for the airline’s latest explanation.
It depends on the facts and the applicable Canadian passenger-protection rules. Rebooking or a refund and compensation for inconvenience have different criteria; check the CTA guidance and make a claim with the airline first.
Sources: Federal Aviation Administration statement; U.S. Department of Transportation update; Air Canada travel notice; Global News reporting; Canadian Transportation Agency guidance.
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