Cancun, Q.R. — Nearly 60 Cancun flights were effected Friday by the nationwide ground stop across the United States. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the ground stop was caused by a telecommunications outage affecting air traffic control systems.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported Friday that the country’s airline network became overloaded with too much data that caused instability in the communication systems. According to Duffy, that instability affected radar across high-altitude control centers.
The four-hour-long ground stop Friday afternoon affected at least 57 flights in and out of Cancun, leaving thousands stranded. Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama reported Friday evening that 57 departing flights across the state were affected.
“Due to issues within the United States air traffic control system, 57 departing flights at various airports in Quintana Roo have been affected so far. Our Guest Assist teams are deployed across the different airport terminals, providing direct support, guidance, and assistance to affected travelers.
“We encourage passengers to stay in direct contact with their airlines to check the status of their flights and learn about available alternatives. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide timely updates through our official channels,” Lezama posted on social media Friday.
The State Secretary of Tourism also reported on the Friday travel situation across the U.S. that affected Quintana Roo airports.
“Due to disruptions in air operations in the United States, we are closely monitoring international flights to and from airports in Quintana Roo,” the
Secretaría de Turismo de Quintana Roo posted as a social media update Friday.
As of 5:27 PM on November 13, 17 flights bound for the United States were being monitored for potential disruptions.
Cancun International Airport
JetBlue B6 772 – Boston
Frontier F9 152 – Atlanta
Southwest WN 1018 – Denver
Delta DL 9911 – Detroit
Delta DL 1878 – Minneapolis
Delta DL 620 – New York
Delta DL 1911 – Detroit
American AA 215 – Chicago
American AA 1799 – Chicago
JetBlue B6 1852 – New York
Southwest WN 587 – Austin
Southwest WN 390 – Nashville
JetBlue B6 1014 – Orlando
JetBlue B6 1052 – New York
Tulum International Airport
American AA 3781 – Dallas/Fort Worth
United UA 1601 – Houston (95-minute delay; estimated departure at 6:20 PM)
Cozumel International Airport
United UA 1867 – Houston
“We advise passengers to check the status of their flights directly with their airlines before heading to the airport. The Government of Quintana Roo, through the Secretariat of Tourism, is maintaining coordination with airport and federal authorities to provide timely information and monitor any potential impacts.”
On Friday evening, Governor Lezama reported on the gradual restoration of flights across the U.S.
“Air operations to and from the United States are being gradually restored.
We are sharing official information from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) regarding the lifting of restrictions by the FAA.
“Air operations will return to normal gradually over the coming hours.
We advise travelers to stay in contact with their airlines to check the status of their flights.”
On Friday, Duffy blamed the November 13 ground stop on aging infrastructure he said included copper lines and legacy switches in use since the 1980s.
FAA Statement on nationwide ground stop “Friday, November 13, 2026: The FAA issued a nationwide ground stop for all U.S. airports following communication issues impacting multiple Air Route Traffic Control Centers. FAA technicians are investigating the issue. We will provide updates.”
It was the country’s longest ground stop since 9/11.
