Aborted Landings Force FAA to Halt Flights at Major US Hub

Low cloud ceilings and shifting coastal weather can paralyze an aviation network, forcing incoming aircraft to pull up from the tarmac in emergency holding patterns.

That logistical nightmare materialized on Monday morning, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to issue consecutive ground stops at a major US travel hub.

San Francisco International Airport experienced cascading delays after a dense fog bank reduced visibility along the Bay Area shoreline.

The FAA halted arrivals twice before 11 a.m., forcing multiple aircraft to abort landings as runway visibility plummeted to just over one-tenth of a mile.

187 Flights Delayed as FAA Issues Two Nov. 9 SFO Ground Stops

The Federal Aviation Administration imposed two ground stops at San Francisco International Airport on Monday, November 9, after dense fog and low cloud ceilings affected arriving aircraft.

The first restriction began at 7:56 a.m. Pacific Time and was scheduled to end at 9:15 a.m. A ground-delay program followed as visibility temporarily improved, but the FAA issued another ground stop beginning at 10:12 a.m., initially scheduled to remain in place until 11:30 a.m.

By approximately 10:30 a.m., 187 flights were delayed, and three had been canceled, according to FlightAware figures reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. Average delays for arriving flights had reached approximately 63 minutes.

The disruption continued beyond the morning restrictions. Subsequent FAA operational updates described an extended ground stop caused by a low cloud deck and multiple aircraft go-arounds.

At times, SFO could accommodate only aircraft equipped for Category II and Category III instrument approaches.

The FAA’s operational plan listed the ground stop through 1 p.m. and a ground-delay program through 1:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

0.13-Mile Visibility Prompts Golden Gate Ferry Delay Warnings

Visibility at SFO fell to approximately 0.13 miles around 8 a.m.

Monday, according to National Weather Service observations cited by the Chronicle. Conditions improved to around half a mile by 9:23 a.m., but low clouds continued to restrict flight operations.

The National Weather Service had issued a Dense Fog Advisory covering San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay shoreline through 11 a.m.

The warning identified visibility between one-quarter and one-half mile in affected areas. Forecasters said visibility was improving by late morning, although patchy dense fog could persist along the shoreline into early afternoon.

The weather also affected transportation outside the airport. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District warned of possible delays to Golden Gate Ferry services because of reduced visibility.

Nov. 10 Forecasts Threaten Extended FAA Ground-Delay Programs

The weather pattern raised additional concerns for passengers traveling on Tuesday, November 10.

In its Monday evening forecast discussion, the National Weather Service anticipated another period of fog and low clouds developing overnight and continuing into Tuesday morning.

The FAA’s operational plan for Tuesday also identified low ceilings and reduced visibility as potential constraints at SFO, with a possible ground stop or ground-delay program after 8 a.m. Pacific Time.

However, the FAA’s airport status update at 1:17 a.m. Tuesday reported no destination-specific delays at SFO, with general arrival and departure delays of 15 minutes or less.

Passengers flying through San Francisco should check their flight status before leaving for the airport. The FAA’s SFO status page, SFO’s flight information, and individual airline notifications provide updates on changing operations.

Even after a ground stop ends, aircraft and crews may remain out of position, allowing delays to continue as airlines work through the disrupted schedules.

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This story was originally published by TravelHost on Nov 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Airlines section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here.