Flying to the United States this weekend may become a problem for thousands of passengers, even after the U.S. authorities lifted the national suspension of takeoffs ordered on Friday, November 13. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has authorized the resumption of air traffic after more than four hours of disruption, but the consequences of the failure continue to affect airlines, which must reorganize their operations, reposition passengers, and recover regular schedules. The incident has already caused thousands of cancellations and delays, as well as affecting international connections with Europe.
The Government of Donald Trump has provisionally attributed the shutdown to a technical problem in the U.S. air traffic control telecommunications systems, specifically a data overload on older equipment that caused instability in communications and in radar information. The Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, explained that the problems began to be detected at 15:36 hours on Friday, Eastern Time, and that they forced the suspension of takeoffs for safety reasons.
U.S. authorities have also clarified that there are no indications that the failure was caused by a cyberattack, although the investigation into its origin remains open. The Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, has, for the time being, ruled out any connection with a malicious action and with the service disruption by Microsoft recorded during the previous day.
The FAA lifted the suspension at around 20:15 hours on Friday, after checking the operation of the affected systems. However, the reopening of airspace does not mean that all flights can depart immediately or that companies automatically recover their schedules. The aircraft that were grounded, the displaced crews, and the passengers who missed their connections may continue to condition activity over the next few days.
What happens if you have a flight to the United States this weekend
The main consequence for those planning to travel to the United States is the possibility of running into long delays, cancellations, or changes to connections, even if their flight was not scheduled during the hours when the suspension was in effect.
During the stoppage, the companies had to keep numerous aircraft on the ground, while other flights that had already started continued to their destinations or were diverted when necessary. When the restriction was lifted, thousands of operations had accumulated delays and the airlines began reorganizing their routes.
According to data released by Reuters, more than 4,700 flights were canceled and around 10,000 experienced delays during Friday. The situation continued on Saturday, with new cancellations resulting from problems recovering aircraft and crews that were not at the airports where they were supposed to begin their next services.
The impact especially affects passengers who make connecting journeys within the United States. For example, a person flying from Madrid to New York to subsequently connect with Chicago, Miami, or Los Angeles could find that their first flight arrives late and they do not have enough time to make the connection.
When all segments are part of a single booking, the company must handle the consequences of the missed connection in accordance with the applicable rules. However, if the traveler has bought separate tickets, they may find it harder to recover the money for the second flight.
Therefore, airlines recommend checking the status of the booking before going to the airport, paying attention to official notifications, and not assuming that a route will operate normally because airspace has already been reopened.
Four flights canceled in Spain: Madrid and Barcelona, affected
The consequences of the problem have also spread to Spain. As reported by Aena, the suspension of takeoffs in the United States has caused four cancellations at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas and Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airports, in addition to delays on other transatlantic connections.
In Madrid, the cancellations have affected an Iberia flight coming from Chicago, which was scheduled to arrive during the morning of Saturday, and a Delta Air Lines departure bound for Atlanta, scheduled for 12:20.
In Barcelona, the company United Airlines has cancelled a flight departing from Chicago and its subsequent return to the United States, scheduled for the afternoon of this Saturday. These are two additional operations that raise to four the confirmed cancellations at Spain’s main airports.
Despite these incidents, Aena has pointed out that air traffic between Spain and the United States is progressively recovering normality, although delays may still be recorded. The situation will depend on aircraft availability and on the reorganization of operations by the airlines.
Iberia has already activated special conditions for affected travelers who have tickets included in its commercial flexibility for flights with origin or destination in the United States on November 13 and 14. The measure allows certain changes to travel between November 14 and 17, in addition to offering refund options in accordance with the published conditions.
These arrangements apply to bookings that meet the requirements established by the airline, so each passenger must check whether their ticket is included.
What rights do you have if your flight to the United States is cancelled?
One of the main concerns of travelers is whether they can get their money back or claim compensation for the suspension of flights. The answer depends on the place of departure, the airline responsible, and the circumstances that led to the cancellation.
Flights departing from Spain are protected by the European Regulation 261/2004, regardless of whether the company is European or American. This regulation recognizes, in the event of cancellation, the right to choose between a refund of the ticket or alternative transport under legally provided conditions.
It also includes assistance during the wait, including meals, drinks, and accommodation when it is necessary to stay overnight, as long as the established assumptions are met. These assistance rights may be maintained even when the cancellation is due to extraordinary circumstances.
The situation is different with regard to the economic compensation of up to 600 euros provided for in European regulations for certain long-distance flights. If the airline proves that the cancellation occurred due to extraordinary circumstances beyond its control, which could not be avoided by taking all reasonable measures, it may be exempted from paying that compensation.
A widespread failure in air traffic control systems may fit this type of situation, but the exemption must not be given automatically without examining the specific circumstances of the flight.
For trips departing from the United States with destination to Spain, the application of the European regulation also depends on the company. Flights operated by Community airlines, such as Iberia or Air Europa, are covered by these rules, while those operated by U.S. companies from North American territory are not subject to the same European regime.
In the United States, the Department of Transportation recognizes the right to a refund of the ticket when the airline cancels a flight or significantly changes its conditions and the passenger decides not to accept the alternative offered. However, there is no equivalent general monetary compensation to the European one for all cancellations.
Why the flights were suspended and when normality will return
The standstill on Friday is one of the most serious episodes recorded in the U.S. aviation system in recent years. The most comparable previous nationwide suspension occurred in January 2023, when a failure in the system that provides safety information to pilots forced a temporary halt of takeoffs.
On this occasion, the Transportation Secretary has stated that the telecommunications systems used by air traffic control centers began to show inconsistent data, apparently due to an overload of older equipment during work to modernize technology.
Given the inability to guarantee communication stability, the FAA decided to suspend departures as a precaution. The authorities assure that no dangerous situation was detected for the aircraft that were already in the air, and that the interruption made it possible to maintain safety conditions while the incident was resolved.
The incident has reopened the debate about the state of U.S. air traffic control infrastructure, which suffers from problems of outdated technology, staffing shortages, and investment needs. Duffy has called on Congress for new funds to speed up the renewal of the systems and prevent interruptions of this kind from happening again.
Although air traffic has already resumed, full recovery could take several days. Airlines will have to redeploy aircraft, reorganize crew shifts, and look for alternatives for affected passengers, especially at major airports that concentrate domestic and international connections.
For those planning to fly to the United States in the coming hours, the main recommendation is to check the flight status directly with the airline, look for possible layovers, and keep receipts for any expenses resulting from a cancellation or delay. U.S. airspace is open again, but the consequences of the shutdown could still disrupt travel plans.