The airlines didn’t cause Friday’s nationwide ground stop. Federal officials traced it to equipment the FAA was installing in its own air traffic control network. Under federal rules, that doesn’t matter for refunds. If your flight in or out of Logan was canceled or significantly delayed and you chose not to fly, the airline owes you your money back, “regardless of the reason,” the U.S. Department of Transportation says. You don’t have to take a voucher.
What the cause does affect is everything beyond the refund: meals, hotels and other compensation. Here is what the federal rules require, what they don’t, and why a Massachusetts consumer protection claim against an airline usually won’t work.
What happened
- The ground stop. On Friday, November 13, 2026, most flights in the United States were not allowed to take off. The Associated Press, as published by WCVB, reported a five-hour stretch; MassLive reported nearly 4½ hours. WCVB called it the longest nationwide ground stop in 25 years.
- The cause. Federal officials blamed a router installed during work to replace old copper lines with fiber. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said officials were investigating whether a contractor error or faulty equipment caused the problem, MassLive and WCVB reported.
- The fallout. FlightAware counted 6,692 cancellations on Saturday and more than 1,400 by Sunday morning, according to WCVB. Duffy told NBC’s Meet the Press he expected things to be “back to normal tomorrow,” meaning Monday.
- At Logan. Boston 25 News reported travelers still stranded at Logan on Saturday, including a man trying to get from Ireland to Miami who said the flights still available were “$2,000 to $3,000,” and a Saugus man whose flight to a Las Vegas work event was canceled. Massport told travelers to check with their airlines and said it had added staff at the airport.
The refund rule
We read the DOT’s refund regulation, 14 C.F.R. Part 260, at ecfr.gov.
- Who gets one. Under § 260.6(a), an airline “must provide a full and prompt refund of the airfare, including any taxes and ancillary fees,” to a passenger holding a nonrefundable ticket on a flight to, from or within the United States, for “any cancelled flight or significantly delayed or changed flight,” when the passenger chooses not to fly the changed flight, take a rebooking, or accept a voucher or credit.
- What counts as significant. Under § 260.2, a domestic flight is significantly delayed if you are scheduled to arrive three or more hours late. For international itineraries, it is six hours. A change of departure or arrival airport, an added connection or a downgrade to a lower class of service also counts.
- The cause doesn’t matter. DOT’s guidance says a consumer is entitled to a refund “if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason.” Its dashboard page repeats it: the refund right applies “regardless of the reason,” even with a nonrefundable ticket.
- Automatic. The refund is due without a request if the flight was canceled and no alternative was offered, if you reject the alternative, or if you don’t respond and the offered flight leaves without you. § 260.6(a)(2).
- How fast. Within 7 business days for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for cash, check, debit card or other payment. § 260.2. It goes back to your original form of payment, with no processing fee. § 260.10.
The catch: if you fly, you lose the refund
“If you chose to take a significantly delayed/changed flight or an alternative flight offered by the airline, you are not entitled to a refund under DOT rules,” the DOT says. Rebooking is the trade. If you would rather have the money, don’t accept the new flight.
Vouchers and credits
An airline may offer a voucher or credit instead of a refund, but only on conditions:
- The offer must clearly tell you that you have a right to a full refund. § 260.6(c)(1).
- A voucher offered in place of a required refund must stay valid for at least five years. § 260.6(c)(2).
- The airline can’t treat you as having accepted a voucher unless you “affirmatively” agree. § 260.7.
- Restrictions like blackout dates and advance purchase rules must be disclosed when the voucher is offered. § 260.8.
Bags and paid extras
- Bag fees. For domestic flights, a bag is significantly delayed if it isn’t delivered within 12 hours of arrival, and the bag fee must be refunded. You must file a mishandled baggage report with the airline first. § 260.5.
- Extras you didn’t get. Fees for seat selection, Wi-Fi and other paid extras must be refunded automatically if the service wasn’t provided because of a cancellation or significant change. § 260.4.
Meals and hotels: this is where the cause matters
No federal rule requires an airline to pay for a hotel or meals after a cancellation. What exists are promises the airlines made themselves, shown on the DOT’s Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard. Those promises cover controllable cancellations and delays, which the DOT describes as ones “caused by the airline,” giving as examples “maintenance or crew problems; cabin cleaning; baggage loading; and fueling.”
| Dashboard commitment (controllable cancellations) | Airlines committed, per DOT |
|---|---|
| Meal or meal voucher for a wait of 3 hours or more | All nine listed: Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, United |
| Hotel for an overnight cancellation | All listed except Frontier |
| Rebooking on a partner airline at no cost | Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, United |
| Cash compensation for a wait of 3 hours or more | None |
Friday’s cause was an FAA system, according to federal officials, which isn’t the kind of airline-caused problem the DOT lists. So travelers shouldn’t count on those commitments for the ground stop itself. The DOT’s advice is to ask anyway: “ask airline staff if they will pay for meals or a hotel room or compensate you for your time.”
Why you usually can’t sue under Massachusetts consumer law
Massachusetts residents often think of Chapter 93A, the state consumer protection law, when a business treats them unfairly. Against an airline, federal law mostly closes that door.
- The statute. Under 49 U.S.C. § 41713(b)(1), a state “may not enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other provision having the force and effect of law related to a price, route, or service of an air carrier.” We read it at govinfo.gov.
- State consumer laws. In Morales v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 504 U.S. 374 (1992), the Supreme Court held that states couldn’t use their general consumer protection laws to enforce airline fare advertising guidelines.
- Contracts survive. In American Airlines, Inc. v. Wolens, 513 U.S. 219 (1995), the Court held that the preemption clause “bars state-imposed regulation of air carriers, but allows room for court enforcement of contract terms set by the parties themselves.” It barred the plaintiffs’ state consumer fraud claims but let their breach of contract claim go forward. Both cases were verified on CourtListener.
In practice, that means the airline’s own contract of carriage and its published customer service plan are what you can hold it to, along with the federal rules. Under 14 C.F.R. § 260.11, an airline can’t put terms in its contract of carriage that conflict with its refund obligations.
What to do now
- Decide whether you want the refund or the rebooking before you accept a new flight.
- Don’t click “accept” on a voucher you don’t want. Silence and rejection both trigger the automatic refund.
- Keep the airline’s cancellation or delay notice and your receipts.
- If the refund doesn’t arrive, complain to the airline first. DOT requires airlines to acknowledge complaints within 30 days and answer in writing within 60. If that fails, file a complaint with the DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection at transportation.gov.
Frequently asked questions
Do airlines have to refund flights canceled by the FAA ground stop?
Yes, if you chose not to travel. Under 14 C.F.R. § 260.6, airlines must refund canceled and significantly delayed flights when the passenger declines the alternative, and the DOT says that applies regardless of the reason for the cancellation.
How long is a significant delay for a refund?
Three hours or more for a domestic itinerary and six hours or more for an international one, measured by the scheduled arrival time.
Does the airline have to pay for my hotel after the ground stop?
No federal rule requires it. Airline hotel and meal commitments on the DOT dashboard apply to cancellations caused by the airline. Federal officials attributed the ground stop to an FAA system problem. You can still ask.
Can I get cash compensation for a delayed flight in the U.S.?
Beyond a refund, generally no. None of the nine airlines on the DOT dashboard commits to cash compensation for long delays or cancellations.
Can I sue an airline under Chapter 93A?
Usually not. 49 U.S.C. § 41713(b)(1) preempts state laws related to an airline’s prices, routes or services. Under American Airlines v. Wolens, breach of contract claims based on the airline’s own terms can proceed.
Sources: 14 C.F.R. Part 260, read at ecfr.gov. U.S. Department of Transportation refund guidance, Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard and complaint page, read at transportation.gov. 49 U.S.C. § 41713, read at govinfo.gov. Morales v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 504 U.S. 374 (1992), and American Airlines, Inc. v. Wolens, 513 U.S. 219 (1995), verified on CourtListener. WCVB, November 14 and 15, 2026; MassLive, November 15, 2026; Boston 25 News, November 15, 2026. General information, not legal advice.