US Air Traffic Outage Disrupts Flights, Including Air New Zealand Services

Published 2026-11-14

A major air traffic control outage in the United States has caused delays and cancellations for flights across the country. The disruption also affected some Air New Zealand services, which travel to and from the United States. Passengers on these routes have faced longer waiting times and changes to their travel plans.

The outage affected the systems that help pilots and controllers manage aircraft safely in the air and on the ground. Because many flights between New Zealand and the United States pass through American airspace, airlines had to adjust their schedules. Air New Zealand has advised travellers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport and to contact the airline if they have questions about their bookings.

For New Zealanders planning to travel to the United States in the coming days, the situation may still cause some delays. Airlines usually work to rebook passengers as quickly as possible, but seats on later flights may be limited. Travellers are encouraged to keep their phones charged, watch for updates from their airline, and allow extra time for connections.

The cause of the outage and the time needed for full recovery are still being investigated. Officials have said that normal services will return once the technical problems are fixed. Further updates are expected from both the aviation authorities and the airlines involved.

Sources: Chris Lynch Media

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