US flights resume after radar failure caused 31,700 disruptions

The Federal Aviation Administration lifted a nationwide ground stop in the United States after a radar and communications failure disrupted air traffic control, causing 31,700 disruptions, including more than 25,100 delays and over 6,600 cancellations.

The FAA imposed the stop on Friday, November 13, at about 3:36 p.m. Eastern Time. It lifted the restriction at about 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time, nearly five hours later. More than 3,500 aircraft were airborne when the restriction began. Existing safety procedures allowed them to land, while medical evacuation and law enforcement flights continued.

US ground stop lifted after five hours

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the disruption started when systems produced inconsistent data. He blamed ageing switches, routers and overloaded copper communication lines. Duffy warned that operations would take time to normalise. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said there was no indication the incident was a deliberate attack or a national security threat.

Flight-tracking data showed that as of 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, more than 25,100 flights had been delayed and over 6,600 cancelled within, into or out of the US. The figures were a snapshot, not final totals. International flights were also affected. Airlines faced displaced aircraft, crew schedules and stranded passengers.

Nigeria's ageing radar system

The US disruption comes as Nigeria seeks to modernise its air traffic management infrastructure. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency has warned that its nine-station Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria system has outlived its design life. Some components are difficult to replace and several stations operate without adequate backup.

Communication problems have affected Nigerian airspace, including concerns that some international airlines were avoiding the country's airspace because of difficulties communicating with air traffic controllers. At the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers' Association in Lagos on November 10, 2026, Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo said the Federal Government had approved a comprehensive radar system overhaul.

Keyamo said new Very High Frequency radios and Voice Communication and Control Systems for 14 NAMA sites had passed factory acceptance tests in Norway. Work had begun on a new NAMA headquarters and Air Traffic Management Centre in Abuja. NAMA is pursuing Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast technology. Plans also indicate it will acquire Indra radar systems from Spain to replace the existing TRACON network, operational since 2010.

However, controllers' association president Edino Ilemona Amos said the procurement announcements had yet to produce significant improvements at operational workstations. He warned that the association could consider withdrawing its services if a clear overhaul plan was not presented. Other proposed improvements include extending VHF coverage, modernising voice communication systems, replacing obsolete radar components and completing the automation of the Aeronautical Information Service.

Revenue and safety

Improved radar and communication infrastructure could strengthen aviation safety and increase Nigeria's earnings from international overflights. Industry stakeholders estimate that NAMA could generate up to $1.5 billion annually if surveillance and communication coverage improves. Overflights are aircraft that pass through a country's airspace without landing or taking off.

NAMA charges between $75 and $195 per flight, depending on the category and route. Overflight, en-route and terminal navigation charges account for about 75% of NAMA's income. The statutory Ticket Sales Charge contributes the remaining 25%. NAMA currently earns about half of the projected $1.5 billion, partly because ageing equipment and inadequate coverage limit its ability to monitor and charge for eligible flights.

An industry source said actual revenue and remittances had historically fallen short of projections, while annual operational and personnel costs exceeded N43 billion. The $1.5 billion figure is an industry estimate, not an official NAMA target. Achieving it would depend on deploying and maintaining improved systems that enable the agency to monitor more flights and collect applicable charges.

For Nigerian aviation, the issue goes beyond safety. Better coverage could help NAMA capture more overflight revenue and give airlines more reliable airspace. That matters for passengers, carriers and the wider economy.