The FAA suspended departures nationwide after communication problems affected all 22 regional air traffic control centers on November 13, 2026. (Foto: Instagram)
ATC Zero is an operational designation used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) when an air traffic control facility cannot provide services safely. The term came into focus during the aviation emergency that affected the United States on Friday, November 13, 2026. ATC stands for air traffic control; “Zero” indicates that a facility’s ability to organize and monitor flights has fallen to a point where safe operations cannot be assured.
The designation can apply to different facilities, including airport control towers and regional centers that coordinate aircraft in specific areas. When a unit lacks the resources to maintain safe separation between planes, officials may suspend departures, limit aircraft movements or reroute flights to other areas of control. An ATC Zero declaration does not mean an entire country’s airspace is closed, though it can affect flights that depend on the impacted facility.
The FAA ordered departures suspended across the United States after identifying communication problems affecting the country’s 22 regional air traffic control centers. Those centers coordinate aircraft as they travel between airports. Without reliable communications, controllers may be unable to manage aircraft flow or maintain safe distances between flights. The agency described the nationwide suspension as a preventive measure and directed aircraft that had not yet taken off to remain on the ground. International flights bound for the United States were assessed individually.
The disruption led to delays, cancellations and diversions. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that about 11,000 flights were scheduled to depart U.S. airports after 4 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, leaving travelers in multiple parts of the country affected. The FAA’s restrictions on departures did not mean every flight already in the air was grounded; the agency’s notice specifically instructed aircraft that had not taken off to stay on the ground.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said a telecommunications failure caused the incident. He said there was no indication at that point that it resulted from a cyberattack, while authorities continued investigating the source of the problem. A nationwide halt to departures is rare: the November 13 suspension was the second such broad shutdown since the September 11, 2001, attacks. The previous one occurred in January 2023, when a failure in the FAA’s safety-notification system halted departures for about 90 minutes.
