The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all departing flights nationwide after a communications failure hit air traffic control centres across the country, disrupting thousands of flights.
The announcement means planes in the air may land, but those on the ground cannot take off.
In a statement, Aer Lingus said that some of its flights from the US are now being cleared to depart, after previously being on hold.
The FAA notice said the ground stop was being imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety”.
Dublin Airport has said that there is a possibility that flights to and from the airport could be impacted tomorrow morning.
“It remains unclear how long this suspension will remain in effect, and there is a possibility that it could impact both arriving and departing flights between Dublin Airport and the United States on Saturday morning,” the airport operator said on X.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there is a communications issue affecting the 22 regional air traffic control centres that direct planes en route between airports nationwide.
He said FAA technicians are investigating.
Secretary of homeland security Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication yet that “this was a nefarious attack against us. It’s just a telecommunications outage”.
“Everybody’s safe. There’s no reason to be concerned about your loved ones if they’re flying,” he added.
This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023 when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned.
Before that the last time had been after the 11 September 2001 attacks.
There has been a temporary telecommunications outage – out of an abundance of caution all flights have been halted. Every flight has been accounted for and international flights will be handled on a case by case basis.
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) November 13, 2026
Aer Lingus said in a statement that it is aware that the FAA has implemented a nationwide ground stop to flight departures in the US, and that customers should check its website for updates.
“Aer Lingus flights en route to the US are permitted to land. Some Aer Lingus flights from the US are now being cleared to depart. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will communicate directly with customers who are impacted by the disruption.
“Customers should continue to check aerlingus.com for the latest updates,” the statement said.
Passenger Update We are aware of the current suspension of flights departing from the United States. It remains unclear how long this suspension will remain in effect, and there is a possibility that it could impact both arriving and departing flights between Dublin Airport and the United States on Saturday morning. Passengers are advised to contact their airline directly for the latest updates on the status of their flight. ✈️
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) November 13, 2026
In a statement the Department of Transport said: “We understand that some flights currently en route to the US are being permitted to land. The US authorities are handling international flights on a case by case basis.
“This is an evolving situation and the Department advises all passengers who are due to travel to the US on Saturday 14 November to check with their airline for information regarding the status of their flight,” it added.
There is no timeline for restarting flights.
Mr Mullin said investigators will look at whether there is any link to the FAA’s nationwide rollout of a new artificial intelligence system to help identify problems and reroute planes.
But that system operates out of one location near Washington DC, and just sends recommendations to the air traffic control centres.
The government has been working to overhaul the outdated technology that air traffic controllers rely on since Congress approved $12.5 billion for the project last year.
Miles of old copper wires have been replaced with fibre optic lines and old radio systems are gradually being replaced at airports across the country.
But much work remains.
Mr Duffy has said that another $30 billion will be needed to complete the work, and the White House has begun lobbying Congress to approve it.
The problem appeared similar to a regional air traffic control communication outage in September that snarled hundreds of flights across the north east, aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said, except this time on a nationwide scale.
It may be linked to the outdated technology used by air traffic controllers.
“If you don’t have that ability, whether it’s because the old wires that they have are just run down or for whatever reason, you’ve got to stop airplanes on the ground,” said Mr Arroyo, who is a former United Airlines pilot.
“And not put them in the air where you’re going to risk not being able to communicate with them,” he added.
The ground stop was different to the one after 11 September because planes were not being told to land immediately and pilots probably were able to communicate with ground controllers at airports, Mr Arroyo said.
