United and Delta Offer Waivers During Nationwide Flight Halt

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop on November 13 after a temporary communications problem affected all U.S. Air Route Traffic Control Centers. The FAA said flights were paused as a precaution while technicians investigated. The halt applied to departing flights; aircraft already in the air were allowed to continue, though United said some were diverted because of congestion at its hubs.

United said cancellations were being made because of congestion in the air traffic system. Passengers whose flights were affected can rebook without change fees or fare differences. The replacement flight must be operated by United, depart between November 13 and November 20, and match the original cabin and city pair on the itinerary. Customers can check flight status or rebook through the airline’s website or app.

Delta also stopped departures and offered a flexible travel waiver for customers changing their plans at no extra cost. The airline said its teams were assisting passengers and that it aimed to resume departures safely when possible. It advised customers to check the Delta app or website for updates.

At Delta’s Atlanta hub, FlightAware data showed 759 delays and 258 cancellations affecting U.S. routes by the afternoon of November 13. An FAA departure-delay program there averaged 90 minutes. The ground stop was still active at 5 p.m., and officials had not given a timeframe for lifting it.