AEW is dealing with a serious travel problem just one day before Full Gear 2026, as several wrestlers are now stranded because of the FAA’s nationwide flight shutdown. Some talent already made it to Phoenix after Wednesday’s Dynamite, but others haven’t been able to leave, and there’s a real concern that not everyone will make it to the pay-per-view in time.
Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer revealed that multiple AEW wrestlers are stuck because of the nationwide ground stop. While some talent traveled directly to Phoenix after the November 11 Dynamite and Collision tapings, others are still waiting to get on flights.
“Regarding the FAA grounding all flights, many AEW wrestlers flew to the PPV straight from Dynamite, but others haven’t left yet and are stranded. The longer this goes the greater the likelihood of major delays and people not making it there at all.”
Alvarez also revealed that some people have been warned the FAA’s ground stop might not end until 8 PM tonight, which could create even bigger problems for AEW.
“There are people who have been told this ground stop may not be lifted until 8 PM tonight which would be a disaster.”
The FAA ordered the nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon after a telecommunications outage affected air traffic control centers across the country. Departing flights were ordered to remain on the ground until further notice, leaving thousands of travelers dealing with delays and uncertainty. The FAA has not confirmed 8 PM as an official time for flights to resume.
The timing couldn’t be much worse for Tony Khan’s company. AEW Full Gear 2026 takes place Saturday, November 14, at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, with the main pay-per-view scheduled to begin at 8 PM ET.
AEW was already dealing with travel headaches earlier this week. During his Full Gear media call on November 12, Khan explained that several wrestlers arrived late for the November 11 Dynamite and Collision tapings because of flight problems following the Chris Jericho Cruise. The company had to make last-minute changes to the show to accommodate the delays.
Now AEW has an even bigger problem, with a nationwide shutdown affecting wrestlers who still need to get to Phoenix. Alvarez hasn’t identified which talent members are stranded, and there’s no confirmation that any Full Gear matches have been changed or canceled.
For now, Full Gear is still scheduled to take place Saturday night, but AEW is running out of room for travel problems. Some wrestlers are already in Phoenix, while others are stuck waiting for flights that may not resume for hours. If the shutdown continues, Tony Khan could be forced to make some difficult decisions about the pay-per-view lineup.
Do you think AEW will be able to get all its wrestlers to Phoenix in time for Full Gear, or could the flight shutdown force last-minute changes to the card? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
