UPDATE: The ground stop is over โ but Saturday is still a mess. More than 4,400 flights cancelled today, and one airline has cut 40% of its schedule. See how the recovery is going, airline by airline.
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FAA lifts the ground stop, airlines will be slowly returning to normal
On Friday afternoon, November 13, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a rare nationwide ground stop halting all departing commercial and civilian flights at airports across the United States. In its official air traffic advisory, the agency stated that traffic was being held on the ground until further notice “due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety,” adding that international flights entering U.S. airspace would be managed on a case-by-case basis while aircraft already airborne continued safely to their destinations.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA spokespeople confirmed that the halt was triggered by a widespread communications failure impacting Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs)โthe regional en-route control facilities responsible for guiding high-altitude air traffic across the continental United States. According to initial FAA reports and internal agency documentation, the breakdown involved a “rolling frequency outage” across multiple parts of the country that disrupted air-to-ground radio communications between controllers and aircraft in flight.
FAA technicians launched an immediate investigation to isolate and restore the affected telecommunications and radio frequency infrastructure, though officials noted in the initial hours of the outage that the underlying root cause of the communications failure had not yet been determined. The November 13, 2026 order marks only the third nationwide U.S.ground stop in modern aviation history, following the January 2023 outage of the FAA’s Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) pilot alert system and the total closure of U.S. airspace in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
From Cirium:
Data is as of 4:40 PM Eastern time November 13, 2026.
Flights Today
There are 26,284 flights scheduled to depart today from the US.
At this time 481 have been canceled or no fly nationally, representing 1.83%. This will grow today.
After 4pm Eastern time today, there were still some 11,000 flight scheduled to depart from U.S. airports today.
The data below may include cancellations earlier in the day unrelated to the ground stop, for example, due to weather. No fly refers to a flight scheduled to depart, but had not yet departed within 180 minutes of the scheduled departure time. We anticipate that number will grow today.
| Major airports with Cancellations/No Flies | |||
| Airport | Flights | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| (JFK) New York John F. Kennedy International Airport | 533 | 30 | 5.63% |
| (LGA) New York LaGuardia Airport | 533 | 26 | 4.88% |
| (SFO) San Francisco International Airport | 588 | 19 | 3.23% |
| (BOS) Boston Logan International Airport | 547 | 23 | 4.20% |
| (FLL) Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport | 354 | 16 | 4.52% |
| (ATL) Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport | 1,130 | 11 | 0.97% |
| (LAX) Los Angeles International Airport | 750 | 7 | 0.93% |
| (EWR) Newark Liberty International Airport | 519 | 8 | 1.54% |
| (PBI) President Donald J. Trump International Airport | 98 | 8 | 8.16% |
| (MCO) Orlando International Airport | 547 | 8 | 1.46% |
| (SAN) San Diego International Airport | 356 | 7 | 1.97% |
| (PHX) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | 614 | 7 | 1.14% |
On behalf of Cirium, the aviation analytics company, we are monitoring developments this hour related to a full ground stop in the U.S.
After 4pm Eastern time today, there were still some 11,000 flights and over 1.5 million passengers were still scheduled to depart from U.S. airports today.
Data below is as of 5:50 PM Eastern time November 13, 2026.
Diversions
- 600 diverted flights for Nov. 13.
- 496 of those 600 flights (82.7%) returned to their origin airport. The other 104 diverted to a different airport.
- Most diversion airports overall: Chicago OโHare (ORD), 28; Denver (DEN), 26; Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), 19; Washington National (DCA), Charlotte (CLT) and Los Angeles (LAX), 16 each.
- Among flights that diverted somewhere other than their origin, Cincinnati (CVG) received the most, with six, followed by San Jose (SJC) with five.
Update from Cirium:
Data is as of 7:05 PM Eastern time November 13, 2026.
Flights Today
There are 26,284 flights scheduled to depart today from the US.
At this time 4,103 flights have been canceled or no fly nationally, representing 15.61%. This will continue to grow today.
After 4pm Eastern time today, there were still some 11,000 flights and over 1.5 million passengers were still scheduled to depart from U.S. airports today.
Diversions
- The table lists 827 diverted-flight records for Nov. 13.
- 670 of those 827 flights (81%) returned to their origin; 157 diverted elsewhere.
- Most frequent diversion airports overall: Chicago OโHare (ORD), 59; Charlotte (CLT), 34; Denver (DEN), 30; Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Houston (IAH), 27 each. These totals include flights returning to their origin.
- Among flights diverted to a different airport, Washington Dulles (IAD) led with 10; Los Angeles (LAX), Cincinnati (CVG) and Nashville (BNA) had six each.
Cancellations/No Fly
The data below may include cancellations earlier in the day unrelated to the ground stop, for example, due to weather. No fly refers to a flight scheduled to depart, but had not yet departed within 180 minutes of the scheduled departure time. We anticipate that number will grow today.
US
| Airport | Flights | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| (ORD) Chicago O’Hare International Airport | 1,293 | 205 | 15.85% |
| (ATL) Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport | 1,130 | 195 | 17.26% |
| (DFW) Dallas Fort Worth International Airport | 1,044 | 158 | 15.13% |
| (DEN) Denver International Airport | 958 | 110 | 11.48% |
| (CLT) Charlotte Douglas International Airport | 760 | 102 | 13.42% |
| (LAX) Los Angeles International Airport | 750 | 99 | 13.20% |
| (IAH) Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport | 624 | 100 | 16.03% |
| (PHX) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | 614 | 73 | 11.89% |
| (SFO) San Francisco International Airport | 588 | 125 | 21.26% |
| (LAS) Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport | 570 | 64 | 11.23% |
| (SEA) Seattle-Tacoma International Airport | 558 | 61 | 10.93% |
| (MCO) Orlando International Airport | 547 | 66 | 12.07% |
| (BOS) Boston Logan International Airport | 547 | 130 | 23.77% |
| (MIA) Miami International Airport | 540 | 72 | 13.33% |
| (LGA) New York LaGuardia Airport | 533 | 151 | 28.33% |
| (JFK) New York John F. Kennedy International Airport | 533 | 114 | 21.39% |
| (EWR) Newark Liberty International Airport | 519 | 61 | 11.75% |
| (DTW) Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport | 446 | 69 | 15.47% |
| (DCA) Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 440 | 58 | 13.18% |
| (MSP) Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport | 428 | 68 | 15.89% |
| (PHL) Philadelphia International Airport | 381 | 43 | 11.29% |
| (BNA) Nashville International Airport | 371 | 44 | 11.86% |
| (IAD) Washington Dulles International Airport | 364 | 69 | 18.96% |
| (SAN) San Diego International Airport | 356 | 72 | 20.22% |
| (FLL) Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport | 354 | 45 | 12.71% |
CAN
| Airport | Flights | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| (YYZ) Toronto Pearson International Airport | 463 | 65 | 14.04% |
| (YVR) Vancouver International Airport | 297 | 30 | 10.10% |
| (YUL) Montreal-Trudeau International Airport | 224 | 30 | 13.39% |
| (YYC) Calgary International Airport | 213 | 17 | 7.98% |
| (YEG) Edmonton International Airport | 95 | 6 | 6.32% |
| (YOW) Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport | 82 | 5 | 6.10% |
| (YTZ) Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport | 62 | 12 | 19.35% |
| (YLW) Kelowna International Airport | 50 | 10 | 20.00% |
Update:
The FAA has now lifted the nationwide ground stop that halted departures across the United States for more than four hours on November 13, 2026. Departures are resuming, but the aviation system remains heavily disrupted and airlines are warning that recovery will take at least several operational cycles and potentially days before schedules fully normalize.
As of the latest official briefings, the problem appears to have originated within the FAA’s air traffic control communications infrastructure. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA began experiencing instability in radar and communications systems around 3:36 p.m. Eastern Time. According to Duffy, overloaded switches and routers in the aging analog telecommunications network began producing inconsistent data, forcing the FAA to shut down portions of the system as a safety precaution and issue the ground stop.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that there is currently no evidence of a cyberattack or other malicious activity. Officials characterized the event as a telecommunications or communications-system outage rather than a security incident.
There are still some conflicting reports regarding the exact technical trigger. Reuters and FAA briefing comments point to a communications failure and overloaded infrastructure, while other reports citing officials involved in the investigation indicate a software or technology update may have contributed to overwhelming parts of the system. Federal investigators are still determining the precise root cause.
The ground stop was lifted at approximately 8:15-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time after FAA technicians restored the affected systems and verified operational stability.
The operational impact has been massive. Latest figures show:
- More than 4,700 flights canceled.
- More than 10,000 flights delayed.
- Hundreds of additional cancellations already posted for November 14.
- Roughly 15,000 flights either delayed or canceled during the event, according to flight-tracking services.
Airline status as of this evening:
- United Airlines stated that aircraft already airborne continued operating, but new domestic departures were halted during the ground stop. United is now restarting operations but faces significant network dislocations.
- JetBlue reportedly canceled most of its remaining evening schedule following the outage and will be rebuilding operations overnight.
- Major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, Alaska, Hawaiian, United, and JetBlue are expected to operate on revised schedules through at least tomorrow as crews, aircraft, and passengers are repositioned. Airlines for America has advised travelers to monitor their carrier’s updates closely.
For travelers, the immediate issue is no longer the FAA shutdown itself but the downstream effects. Aircraft and crews are now out of position throughout the network, meaning cancellations and delays are expected to continue throughout November 14 even though the national airspace system is again open. Aviation analysts quoted by Reuters believe full schedule recovery could take several days.
This is being described as the most significant nationwide FAA shutdown since the January 2023 NOTAM outage and only the second nationwide ground stop since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
November 14, 2026 update from Cirium:
On behalf of Cirium, the aviation analytics company, we are monitoring developments related to the full ground stop in the U.S.
This data is as of 8:30AM Eastern Time, November 14, 2026.
SCHEDULED FLIGHTS NOVEMBER 14, SATURDAY
- There are 22,232 flights scheduled to depart from U.S. airports today Saturday โ around 4,000 fewer flights than yesterday.
- Upwards of 3M passengers would be typically scheduled to fly from U.S. airports.
CANCELLATIONS
According to data from Cirium, 14% of flights departing the U.S. are canceled today, Saturday. There are 15 cancelations at this time for tomorrow Sunday, which is low.
| Date | Flights | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| 2026-11-13 | 26,284 | 9,266 | 35.25% |
| 2026-11-14 | 22,232 | 3,262 | 14.67% |
| Grand Total | 48,516 | 12,528 | 25.82% |
CANCELLATIONS BY AIRLINE TODAY NOV 14
| Airline | Flights Scheduled | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| (AA) American Airlines | 5,702 | 880 | 15.43% |
| (UA) United Airlines | 4,409 | 728 | 16.51% |
| (DL) Delta Air Lines | 4,205 | 821 | 19.52% |
| (WN) Southwest Airlines | 3,139 | 314 | 10.00% |
| (AS) Alaska Airlines | 1,379 | 137 | 9.93% |
| (B6) JetBlue | 671 | 271 | 40.39% |
| (F9) Frontier Airlines | 471 | 29 | 6.16% |
| (MXY) Breeze Airways | 258 | 20 | 7.75% |
| (AC) Air Canada | 151 | 35 | 23.18% |
| (G4) Allegiant Air | 148 | 0 | 0.00% |
| (Y4) Volaris | 72 | 10 | 13.89% |
| (AV) Avianca | 48 | 3 | 6.25% |
| (BA) British Airways | 42 | 1 | 2.38% |
| (AM) Aeromexico | 38 | 2 | 5.26% |
| (WS) WestJet | 35 | 9 | 25.71% |
| (PD) Porter Airlines | 35 | 2 | 5.71% |
| (SY) Sun Country Airlines | 34 | 0 | 0.00% |
| (XP) Avelo Airlines | 28 | 0 | 0.00% |
| (LH) Lufthansa | 26 | 2 | 7.69% |
| (AF) Air France | 25 | 0 | 0.00% |
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO THE U.S.
| Date | Flights | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| 2026-11-13 | 2,160 | 451 | 20.88% |
| 2026-11-14 | 2,269 | 267 | 11.77% |
| Grand Total | 4,429 | 718 | 16.21% |
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO THE U.S.; CANCELLATIONS BY DEPARTURE COUNTRY NOV. 14
| Departure Country | Scheduled Flights | Cancelled or No Fly | Cancelled or No Fly % |
| Mexico | 442 | 35 | 7.92% |
| Canada | 360 | 58 | 16.11% |
| United Kingdom | 111 | 16 | 14.41% |
| Puerto Rico | 99 | 29 | 29.29% |
| Dominican Republic | 86 | 11 | 12.79% |
| Bahamas | 78 | 6 | 7.69% |
| Japan | 63 | 1 | 1.59% |
| Germany | 53 | 15 | 28.30% |
| France | 48 | 7 | 14.58% |
| Colombia | 46 | 4 | 8.70% |
| Costa Rica | 44 | 7 | 15.91% |
| Panama | 41 | 2 | 4.88% |
| Jamaica | 40 | 3 | 7.50% |
| Republic of Korea | 34 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Italy | 32 | 4 | 12.50% |
American Airlines brings light bites to the menu between Chicago and New York
American Airlines announced:
American Airlines is expanding dining choices for premium customers with new light bites offered in First Class on select flights. Beginning this month, customers traveling in First Class on flights between Chicago OโHare International Airport (ORD) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York will enjoy a selection of light morning and afternoon offerings designed for customers looking for fresh, flavorful meal choices.
Customers can choose from two light bite options, with menus rotating regularly throughout the year to provide customers with variety and choice.
“Our light bites menu provides an elevated experience on one of our most popular routes,” said Vice President of Culinary Strategy and Operations Raphael Girardoni. “We want to exceed the expectations of even our most discerning customers, and this new, more substantial menu offering is designed to do just that.”
Tropical chia overnight oats
Prosciutto and melon
Whipped burrata
Poached shrimp with noodle salad
- Smoked salmon
- Tropical chia overnight oats
- Prosciutto and melon
- Fruit and cheese plate
- Prosciutto and brie
- Apple cinnamon chia pudding
- Curry chicken salad
- Thai noodle salad
- Turkey and Gouda sandwich
- Whipped burrata
- Poached shrimp with noodle salad
- Mezze plate
- Blackened chicken
- Grilled vegetable wrap
Light bites will be available exclusively on board and will not be offered through preorder.
Continuing to elevate the inflight dining experience
In recent months, American has continued to elevate the customer dining experience across the travel journey. The airline introduced a refreshed lineup of complimentary Main Cabin snacks, expanded its popular partnership with Pecan Lodge to all eligible First Class flights departing from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), reopened its redesigned Flagshipยฎ Dining at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and enhanced food and beverage offerings across its Flagshipยฎand Admirals Clubยฎ lounges. Together with ongoing investments in premium dining, lounges and onboard service, these enhancements reflect American’s commitment to delivering a more thoughtful, elevated travel experience for customers at every stage of their journey.
Emirates wins Gold at the 2026 Global Performance Marketing Awards
Emirates announced:
Emirates was recognised as the first-ever winner of the Best Travel, Leisure & Experience Campaign award for its work to transform its affiliate marketing programme in Asia Pacific (APAC) – one of the worldโs most competitive travel markets where online travel agencies, airlines and travel agents all compete for the same affiliate partners.
The airline rebuilt its affiliate marketing programme by shifting from broad publisher volumes to a refined partner base that works harder without sacrificing efficiency, strengthening direct relationships, and focusing on investments that delivered the greatest impact, along with expanding into new affiliate partner categories. As a result, the airlineโs revenue growth from performance marketing in APAC rose 31% in a single year.
At Emirates, performance marketing operates as a strategic engine for customer growth, not only as a marketing channel. An internal team of specialists combine channel expertise with advanced analytics, attribution, customer insights and rich first-party data, and keep a consistent focus on driving incremental revenue, customer quality and lifetime value.
Emiratesโ performance marketing at a glance
- A core team in Dubai covers affiliate marketing, paid search and metasearch, supported by over 60 digital marketing colleagues and hundreds of partners globally. Together, these three channels delivers more than a third of new customers acquired through emirates.com.
- The team manages strategy and execution for more than 5,000 always-on campaigns worldwide across search engines, flight search websites and affiliate marketing partners. Big data from partners powers this always-on engine and guides strategic investment decisions supporting more than 4,000 routes in 80 markets.
- High levels of automation and strict processes allow the team to operate at this scale while keeping decisions consistent, with dedicated specialists across each discipline ensuring best-in-class execution and governance.
- Exclusive partnerships enable Emirates to bring industry-first and industry-leading advertising solutions to market.
About the awards
The Global Performance Marketing Awards recognise work that drives measurable growth across performance and partnership marketing, and represent the collaborative efforts of brands, agencies, publishers and technology platforms. Entries are scored independently by multiple senior judges from brands, agencies and publishers across the industry, assessing each entry on strategic clarity, quality of execution, partnership collaboration and measurable commercial impact.
This latest win follows Emiratesโ shortlisting at the Global Search Awards for Best Use of Search (Travel/Leisure).
Etihad Airways and McLaren Racing take to the skies with first racing team livery on a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (A6-BMI)
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has unveiled a striking new livery carrying the distinctive branding of partner McLaren Racing, marking the first time a Formula 1 team has been featured on a wide-body aircraft. Guests stepping onboard the Etihad Dreamliner will be a part of Formula 1 history.
The specially designed aircraft celebrates the partnership between Etihad Airways and McLaren Racing, creating one of the most prominent motorsport liveries ever carried by a commercial aircraft and a new way for guests and fans to connect with McLaren Racing.
Bringing together two globally recognised brands, the design transforms one of Etihadโs flagship Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners (A6-BMI) with McLarenโs distinctive identity and papaya color. The aircraft will take the partnership around the world as it operates across Etihadโs extensive global network, connecting Abu Dhabi with destinations from Dublin, Milan and Vienna to Bali, Bangkok and Delhi.
The livery was revealed in a record-breaking event at the Etihad Engineering facility in Abu Dhabi, featuring the record title for the largest single piece kabuki reveal, independently verified by Guinness World Records.
The livery is the latest expression of the partnership between Etihad Airways and McLaren Racing announced earlier this year. Etihad is an Official Partner of the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team and the McLaren Hypercar Team for the 2026 season and beyond.
The relationship reflects the shared characteristics of two industries shaped by technology, teamwork and high performance. As McLaren competes around the world, Etihadโs network connects Abu Dhabi with many of the sportโs major destinations including Australia, China, Japan, Singapore, the UK, Spain, Italy and the United States.
Alongside the new aircraft livery, Etihad branding features prominently on the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team race cars including the MCL40โs rear wing and halo, as well as McLaren Mastercard F1 Team driver helmets.
The partnership builds on Etihadโs long-standing commitment to racing, including its role as title sponsor of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009. Abu Dhabi will host the season finale this December.
Spring Japan introduces a new cherry blossom livery on JA05GR
Spring Japan made this announcement:
SPRING HAS COME!
A new livery takes to the skies on its first domestic flight!
The aircraftโs first domestic flight in its new brand design
will be Flight IJ857 (NaritaโHakodate) on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
All passengers will receive an original gift.
Plus, three lucky passengers will win prizes in an onboard raffle.
A new livery adorned with cherry blossoms is taking to Japanโs skies.
More airline news:
Airbus A350-1000ULR for QANTAS breaks world distance
Airbus announced:
The Airbus A350-1000ULR (Ultra-Long Range) has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial airliner. The record was based on aircraft data independently validated by the International Aeronautical Federation and flightradar24.
The Airbus-operated flight, with call-sign AIB35LR, departed Melbourne, Australia at 17.27 local time (06.27 UTC) on Monday 27 July and landed in Toulouse, France at 09.51 am local time (07.51 UTC) on Tuesday 28 July. The flight covered a distance of 12,503 nautical miles (equivalent to 23,155 kilometres), with a flight time of 24 hours and 24 minutes.
The mission was undertaken as part of the flight test campaign for the A350-1000ULR, which is being developed for Qantas Airways under Project Sunrise. This included a requirement for Airbus to operate one sector with a block time of 23 hours (from push-back at departure to chocks-on at arrival) to simulate the very longest commercial operations that will be possible with the aircraft.
After take-off from Melbourne the aircraft flew over Sydney before heading out over the Pacific on a north-easterly routing towards Los Angeles, crossing the international date line en route. It then flew ย across the North American continent and over the Atlantic before heading south towards the UK, flying over London and on to Toulouse. As the aircraft crossed three continents and two oceans, the crew witnessed two sunsets and two sunrises.
A total of 13 people were on board the aircraft. These included a flight crew of three Airbus flight test pilots, two pilots from Qantas and five Airbus flight test engineers. Two Airbus design engineers were also on board, plus a representative of the International Aeronautical Federation.
“This achievement reflects the pioneering and innovative spirit that is part of our DNA at Airbus. In responding to the challenge laid down by Qantas, our teams came together to extend the range of the A350-1000 in an efficient and economically viable way to undertake the world’s longest ever commercial flights,โ said Lars Wagner, Chief Executive Officer Commercial Aircraft at Airbus. โFlying 12,503 nautical miles non-stop, we have fully proven the aircraft’s capability to fulfill its mission. And the world record was the icing on the cake!โ
โHuge congratulations to all the teams at Airbus who have made this project a reality. And thank you to Qantas for an incredible partnership that has seen us push boundaries together, to Rolls-Royce for its full support and to all our partners who have contributed to this exciting moment in aviation history. Today we can say that the A350 truly is the undisputed Long Range Leader!ย โ Lars added.
The A350-1000ULR will enable Qantas Airways to operate non-stop flights between Sydney and London and New York for the first time ever – a distance of almost 10,000 nautical miles, with flight times of up to 22 hours. This is made possible primarily by the integration into the aircraft structure of an additional rear centre tank (RCT), enhancing further the aircraft performance and increasing the range of the aircraft by 1,000 nautical miles.
The A350-1000ULR is the fourth passenger variant of the best-selling A350 Family, joining the A350-900, A350-900ULR and the A350-1000. Together, the aircraft have set new standards in long haul air travel, with a step-change reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and new levels of comfort. The passenger line-up will soon be joined by the all-new A350F freighter, also currently under development at Airbus, with first flight planned later this year.
At the end of October 2026, the A350 Family had won 1,628 orders from 70 customers, with more than 740 aircraft already flying with 42 operators, primarily on long haul services across the globe.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs under Project Sunrise. The first aircraft isย scheduled for delivery next April with entry into service on the Sydney-London route later in the year. In addition, the carrier also has 12 standard A350-1000s on order for future operation across its long haul network.
Top Photo: Airbus. The crew on board comprised: ย Airbus Test Pilots Xavier Pepin, Vincent Sibelle and Josef Bayoud; Qantas Pilots Captain Andrew Coull and Captain David Summergreene; Airbus Test Flight Engineers Laurent Rossignol and Nicolas Granier; Airbus Flight Test Engineers: Tuan Do, Alexia Plumet and Jaime Angoloti. Also on board were Airbus design engineers, Stefan Gumm and Carsten Obermann. The International Aeronautical Federation was represented by Gilles Darriau.
More airline news:
Flight paths and sky videos help solve contrail puzzles
Boeing announced:
Contrails are the streaks airplanes sometimes leave behind in the sky that can trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate impacts beyond carbon emissions.
For Emily Dallara and the Project Starry Skies team, solving the puzzle of contrail formation means a path to more sustainable aviation.
Contrails are the streaks airplanes sometimes leave behind in the sky that can trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate impacts beyond carbon emissions. โIf we know where contrails will form and persist, flights can adjust altitude just a bit to avoid those areas,โ Dallara said.
She credits her teammates and their combined expertise for driving the work forward. โThis small change can have a big impact on reducing aviationโs environmental footprint.โ
Emily Dallara, Boeing engineer supporting Project Starry Skies, stands with a sky-facing camera used to track contrails. The network of cameras helps improve forecasts that guide more sustainable flight paths and reduce aviationโs climate impact.
Thatโs where Project Starry Skies comes in. A network of ground cameras records when and where contrails form. These cameras offer an unexpected but powerful source of data for contrail research.
“The idea sparked at a contrail workshop two years ago,” Dallara said. A discussion about a roof-mounted meteor detection camera led to the realization that similar cameras could be used to spot contrails at night.
The technology works by capturing videos of the sky, then using a mix of human review and artificial intelligence to detect contrails across thousands of images. Engineers match these observations with flight tracking data to figure out which planes made which contrails. The assessment helps improve forecasts of the humidity where aircraft fly, which is the key factor in determining whether contrails will form and persist. Currently, predictions of these conditions are broad and lack the accuracy needed for detailed altitude guidance.
Project Starry Skies involves deep collaboration between Boeing and university partners, through which both groups are learning and innovating together. Boeing teams are working closely with experts from Western University (Canada), which has long-standing experience operating sky-facing camera networks for meteor detection and space situational awareness.
โUniversity partnerships let us tap extensive expertise beyond Boeingโs core technical areas,โ Dallara said. โTheir collaboration has accelerated our progress and enriched our understanding.โ
Nighttime contrails captured by a Project Starry Skies ground camera provide data that supports improved forecasting and sustainable flight planning.
Why it matters: Improving forecasting can help airlines reduce the impacts of persistent contrails in sensitive conditions while maintaining flight efficiency. Current weather data falls short in measuring humidity, a key factor in contrail formation. Since aircraft produce contrails only under certain conditions, contrails effectively act as sensors. By combining camera data with weather models, researchers gain a clearer picture of exactly where and why contrails form and persist.
The data from Project Starry Skies may help Boeing teams develop tools that could one day make contrail avoidance a regular part of flight planning.
Dallara’s motivation is driven by her role as a mom and by her commitment to sustainability. โI want the airspace we hand off to future generations to be healthier.โ
To Dallara, Boeing’s role is clear. โWeโre stepping up to lead on this challenge with innovation and collaboration. This effort is just one way our company is helping make sustainable air travel possible for years to come.โ
Contrails at sunrise Project Starry Skies time lapse video
Contrails at sunrise, time lapse video from ground cameras, Project Starry SkiesPlay Video
Go deeper:
- The Boeing research team is expanding its camera network and seeking hosts to install cameras in specific U.S. regions: the Pacific Northwest, from the Cascade Mountains to western Montana, and the southeastern U.S., from northern Alabama to the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. Hosts can install cameras at their homes or on buildings affiliated with universities and schools. There are many ways to get involved. For more information about supporting the camera network, email starryskies@boeing.com.
- Discover how Boeing is leveraging data to reduce aviationโs emissions and inform technology, policy and investment decisions through the Boeing Cascade Climate Impact Modelopens in a new tab.
A ground camera captures contrails as part of Project Starry Skies, helping researchers match contrails with flight information.
The Boeing 777-9 touches down in Iceland
From Boeing:
The 777-9 flight-test team landed at Keflavik International Airport in Iceland for the first time last week, marking the 10th country visited by Boeingโs newest widebody jet.
The stop is part of an ongoing flight-test campaign ahead of the airplaneโs planned first delivery in 2027.
Why it matters: Boeing teams conduct rigorous testing to demonstrate the 777-9โs safety, reliability and performance. In Iceland, the teamโs focus is on crosswind conditions.
Behind the scenes: View scenes of the teamโs journey from Seattle to Keflavik.
By the numbers: The 777-9 flight-test fleet has flown more than 1,800 flights and logged more than 5,100 flight hours. The 777-9 offers 20 percent better fuel efficiency than the airplanes it replaces, and customers worldwide have ordered more than 660 777X airplanes.
By Jen Cram
Polaris Airlines commences operations in Moldova
Polaris Airlines (Z9/PAP) is a new Moldovan ultra-low-cost carrier that officially launched operations in November 2026, establishing its primary hub at Chiศinฤu International Airport. The airline is entering a rapidly expanding Moldovan aviation market that has seen strong passenger growth and increasing competition from carriers such as Wizz Air and HiSky. Its business model focuses on low fares, point-to-point service, and serving both Moldova’s large diaspora communities and leisure travelers heading to popular European and Mediterranean destinations.
Polaris Airlines is establishing its primary hub at Chiศinฤu International Airport. The airline is entering a rapidly expanding Moldovan aviation market that has seen strong passenger growth and increasing competition from carriers such as Wizz Air and HiSky. Its business model focuses on low fares, point-to-point service, and serving both Moldova’s large diaspora communities and leisure travelers heading to popular European and Mediterranean destinations.
The launch comes as Moldova’s aviation sector continues to expand following several years of strong demand growth and increased international connectivity. Polaris aims to capitalize on this opportunity by positioning itself as a low-cost alternative on key routes from Chiศinฤu to major European cities. The carrier has branded itself as an ultra-low-cost airline, offering passengers basic fares with optional ancillary services similar to other European low-cost operators. According to the airline and industry reports, its initial focus is on markets with strong ethnic, labor, and tourism traffic flows. The carrier is launching with a network centered on Italy, Central Europe, Ireland, and Tรผrkiye.
The airline’s first route is between Chiศinฤu and Istanbul Airport. Service began on November 5, 2026, with frequencies scheduled to increase to daily operations by December. Istanbul provides Polaris with access to one of the largest air transport markets in the region and a major connecting gateway between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The route also serves substantial business, tourism, and visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic between Moldova and Tรผrkiye.
The second phase of the airline’s rollout begins on November 18, 2026, when Polaris launches services from Chiศinฤu to Bologna, Prague, and Verona. Each route is scheduled to operate three times weekly. The Italian routes target Moldova’s significant expatriate population in northern Italy, while Prague provides access to a growing Central European market.
Expansion continues with the launch of Chiศinฤu-Milan Malpensa service on November 19, 2026, also operating three weekly flights. Milan represents one of the largest Moldovan diaspora markets in Western Europe and is expected to be an important component of the carrier’s early network. Service to Rome Fiumicino follows on November 20, 2026, likewise operating three times weekly. Together with Bologna, Verona, and Milan, Rome gives Polaris a substantial presence in one of Moldova’s strongest international markets.
On November 21, 2026, the airline plans to launch service between Chiศinฤu and Dublin with three weekly flights. Dublin has become an increasingly important destination for Moldovan workers and expatriates, and the route adds further geographic diversity to the carrier’s opening network.
The strategy behind the launch is to build a network linking Moldova directly with major European capitals and cities that have significant Moldovan communities, reducing reliance on connections through larger foreign hubs. This places Polaris in direct competition with several established operators already serving the Moldovan market, particularly Wizz Air, HiSky, and other low-cost and regional carriers operating from Chiศinฤu.
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