A woman walks past a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
"FAA technicians are investigating the issue," Duffy wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
U.S. media reported earlier that the FAA had issued an advisory citing "extraordinary circumstances" and "reasons of safety" as grounds for the nationwide ground stop, describing it as a rare move.
"All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice," the advisory said. "Inbound international flights will be managed on a case by case basis." ■
People check on a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
Airplanes are seen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People check on a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
Passengers wait in line to check in at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Passengers wait to check in at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Passengers wait to check in at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
Passengers check in at a self-service kiosk at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
A staff member at the information desk helps guide passengers at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Nov. 13, 2026 shows the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport air traffic control tower in Arlington, Virginia, the United States. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
A man is pictured in front of a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People wait at a hall of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People check on a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People check on a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People check on a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
A man checks on a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
Airplanes are seen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
A man walks past a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People walk past a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
People walk past a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Nov. 13, 2026. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
This photo taken on Nov. 13, 2026 shows a flight information display board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a nationwide ground stop on Friday following a "communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. (Xinhua/Li Rui)
