Stuck on the tarmac during a ground stop? The rules on how long airlines can keep you on board

The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights across the United States on Friday afternoon. The agency pointed to reported communications problems at regional air traffic control centers.

The ground stop began at about 2:15 p.m. It means planes that haven’t taken off yet are held at their departure airports. The FAA notice said it was imposed “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the problem is affecting the regional centers that direct planes between airports.

This is the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when a key FAA computer system malfunctioned. Before that, the last one came after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Will the new US airline compensation rule affect passengers?

A Department of Transportation rule took effect on Oct. 19. Under it, airlines no longer have to compensate passengers when a government system shuts down or fails, directly affects an airline’s ability to fly safely, and could not have been expected.

This ground stop could fall under that description. But the situation was changing by the minute on Friday, so nothing is settled.

The rule comes from the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. It removes 10 types of disruptions from the category of delays that are within an airline’s control. That category matters because it decides what passengers can claim.

According to the report, the 10 events are:

• Passenger death


• Extreme weather damage


• Baggage system outages


• Cybersecurity attacks


• Government system shutdowns


• Overheated brakes


• Unscheduled maintenance


• Medical emergencies


• Unruly passengers


• Airport closures due to volcanic ash, wind or wind shear

For delays caused by any of these, airlines may refuse vouchers, meals, hotel reimbursements or refunds. Hundreds of thousands of travelers are affected by the change.

Some passengers on Friday said their airlines had told them they could be reimbursed. What you get depends on the airline.

People stuck overnight may need a hotel, food and water. Children, older people and anyone who must reach their destination quickly for medication or special food are the most exposed.

Can passengers get a full refund instead of an airline voucher?

PIRG, a consumer rights advocacy group, has a clear piece of advice. Contact your airline and ask for a refund. Don’t accept a voucher.

Teresa Murray of PIRG said the refund right doesn’t depend on the cause. If an airline cancels a flight scheduled for Friday or this weekend, the passenger is entitled to a full refund. That covers the ticket price, baggage fees, seat fees, Wi-Fi fees and taxes.

“It doesn’t matter why a flight is canceled,” Murray said.

Passengers can say no to a voucher, she said. They can choose between a flight credit and a full refund. They can’t have both a refund and a rebooking.

There is one exception she mentioned. If you need to reach a wedding or a funeral, a rebooking may be the better option, if the airline offers one.

What are the FAA tarmac delay rules?

Murray said a separate law covers tarmac delays. Passengers are always entitled to updates on the flight, medical care and working bathrooms. After one hour, they are entitled to food, water or both.

After three hours on a domestic flight, passengers can normally ask to return to the gate and get off. But the pilot and the airport can decide against it for security or safety reasons. In that case, Murray said, passengers don’t have many rights.

Travel insurance is a different matter. Whether it helps depends on the policy, so read the terms to see if it covers a flight, hotel, rental car or food. Murray said she wouldn’t buy insurance only to cover a flight, since a cancelled flight already earns a full refund by law.

A ground stop of even a couple of hours can set off a domino effect across the country, she said. If this one runs into the weekend, the disruption could last for days. Murray said she hopes it is sorted out before Thanksgiving travel begins.

What caused the nationwide FAA flight shutdown?

The FAA issued the ground stop after communications problems affected regional air traffic control centres. These facilities manage aircraft travelling between airports. The disruption affected radar information and communication with pilots.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said an ageing, overloaded system caused the failure. At the time, around 3,500 aircraft were in the air. Planes already flying were allowed to reach their destinations. Departures were halted as a safety precaution.

The FAA lifted the restriction at 8:15 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, after more than four hours. Officials said there was no evidence of a cyberattack or a connection to the agency's new AI-powered system. The investigation into the failure continued.

The disruption left a much larger problem for airlines. At least 600 flights were diverted. Nearly 10,000 cancellations had been reported by late Friday night. More than 2,500 additional US flights were cancelled on Saturday, November 14. The FAA had not restored normal operations immediately after lifting the restriction.

This was the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023, when an FAA computer-system failure disrupted flights. The previous nationwide shutdown followed the September 11, 2001 attacks.