All West Coast US flights also now halted because of ‘debris from SpaceX launch’

This story was updated at 3:27 p.m., Nov. 13, 2026.

All West Coast United States flights also are now halted, adding additional headaches for travelers as a nationwide ground stop of all flights that began late Friday morning continues.

KHON2 reported that all West Coast flights are now grounded because of “debris from SpaceX launch,” according to an announcement by Hawai‘i Department of Transportation announced on social media.

“Please continue to check with your carrier for further updates,” posted the department on social media.

Flights between Anchorage to Oakland and Hawai‘i had been allowed to fly as of shortly before 1 p.m. today, per the Federal Aviation Administration, and flights between the islands and West Coast had resumed, until the latest halt added to what some officials called a set of “cascading” issues.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a nationwide grounding Friday of flights for all U.S. airports following a communication issue impacting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said on X.

“There has been a temporary telecommunications outage. Out of an abundance of caution, all flights have been halted,” the FAA said on X. “Every flight has been accounted for and international flights will be handled on a case-by-case basis.”

There was still no stoppage for interisland flights announced as of shortly before 3 p.m., but there could be delays as crews move planes, said Shelly Kunishige, spokesperson for the department.

A representative for Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines told KHON2 earlier Friday that they continue to operate between the islands as well as international flights departing and arriving at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu.

If it’s the second leg of a trans-Pacific flight, Kunishige didn’t think those flights would be affected.

Federal officials said FAA technicians are investigating the nationwide technical issue. The problem is thought to have started at Chicago Midway International Airport and then cascaded nationwide.

“Stay tuned for the big airlines to shut down for the evening,” an airline source told CNN earlier Friday, reporting major airlines could shut down for the rest of the night as issues persist.

Unlike the last time their was a nationwide ground stop, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, planes on Friday were not ordered to immediately land. Pilots are able to communicate with ground controllers at airports and continue to their destinations, the AP reported.

The ground stop is affecting the major airports in Hawai‘i.

Kunishige told Big Island Now state officials are looking at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport, Kahului Airport on Maui and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu to see if there is enough room to accommodate inbound trans-Pacific flights, considering none can depart at this time.

Kunishige said the Department of Transportation didn’t have any further information about the grounding.

“We know as much as you do,” she said.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said during a press conference Friday that the FAA ground stop was issued because of a telecommunications issue. He said all planes were accounted for and that there is “‘no reason to believe” there is a threat to the United States.

There are about 80 flights inbound to Kona, Honolulu and Maui as of Friday afternoon.

Kunishige said the state department is determining if there is enough room at the Kona airport to accommodate them or if some of them need to be redirected to larger Hilo International Airport, on the east side of the island.

Flights also continue to be canceled and delayed nationwide as of shortly after 3 p.m.

FlightAware, an online aviation tracking platform, reports there have been nearly 10,000 total delays and more than 5,000 total cancellations Friday of flights inside, coming into or leaving the United States.

Those numbers are for the entire day, not just after the nationwide grounding was announced.

This is a developing story. More information will be provided as it becomes available.