On Friday evening, Amtrak’s website, mobile app, and customer service lines faced significant issues as stranded airline passengers turned to rail travel amid a nationwide ground stop ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration. By 6:40 p.m. ET, over 10,000 flights had been delayed and more than 3,000 flights were canceled across the nation, as reported by FlightAware.
With flights halted, many travelers attempted to book train tickets as an alternative. Around 5:30 p.m. ET, Amtrak announced on X that they were handling a higher volume of calls due to the ongoing situation.
Amtrak expressed regret over the error messages users encountered on their website and app, along with the challenges of reaching a customer service representative. They noted, “We’re experiencing high call volumes due to the ongoing airline disruptions. We kindly suggest trying later. Thank you.”
Customers reported receiving messages indicating that the system was busy and requests could not be processed. Many found it impossible to connect with a representative for assistance.
Despite the technical issues, train service continued, but securing a seat became increasingly challenging at a time when many travelers were seeking alternatives. Amtrak did not provide a specific timeline for restoring normal booking services.
The FAA had instituted the ground stop shortly before 4 p.m. ET on Friday, November 13, citing extraordinary conditions and safety concerns. The order, effective at 3:54 p.m. ET, required all departing aircraft to remain grounded until further notice. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy clarified that the stop was linked to a communication problem affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers, and FAA technicians were investigating the matter.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin described the situation as a telecommunication outage within the FAA but noted there were no signs of a deliberate attack, assuring that all flights were accounted for. Flights already in the air were not ordered to land immediately, and international inbound flights were to be assessed individually.
The FAA has yet to release an estimate for when regular flight services will resume. This ground stop marks the third such event in U.S. aviation history, following the disruptions of September 11, 2001, and a January 2023 system failure.
