Thousands were stranded at America's airports. What went wrong?
A USA TODAY article examines the nationwide ground stop on Nov. 13, 2026 — only the second since 9/11 — that grounded thousands of flights just before Thanksgiving travel, stranding tens of thousands. Officials blame aging, "overloaded" air traffic control technology overwhelmed by new equipment, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, asking Congress for $50 billion to upgrade the system, expects flights to be running again by the holiday.
