WWE, AEW and TNA could be dealing with a major travel headache heading into one of the busiest wrestling weekends of the year. The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a nationwide ground stop on departing flights, leaving wrestlers and staff potentially stranded just hours before several major events.
The FAA issued the emergency order on Friday, November 13, 2026, stopping departures at airports across the United States. The agency cited safety concerns while air traffic control officials worked to address a nationwide communications problem.
“Due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety. All departing traffic should remain ground stopped until further notice.”
According to Reuters, the shutdown was caused by a communications failure affecting air traffic control centers across the country. Flights already in the air were permitted to land, but departing aircraft were ordered to remain grounded. Nearly 7,000 flights had been delayed or canceled.
The timing couldn’t be much worse for the wrestling business. AEW Full Gear 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Any wrestlers, production staff or other personnel still trying to fly into Phoenix could face delays.
TNA Wrestling also has a major show coming up. Destination X takes place Sunday, November 15, at the Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. With talent traveling from different parts of North America, the flight restrictions could create problems getting everyone into Canada on time.
WWE isn’t exactly sitting around this weekend, either. Friday Night SmackDown takes place tonight at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, while NXT has live events scheduled throughout the Midwest on Saturday and Sunday. Main roster talent is also advertised for the NXT shows, making travel arrangements another potential concern.
There’s no confirmation that any WWE, AEW or TNA wrestlers have been stranded or that any wrestling events have been delayed because of the shutdown. However, with several shows taking place in different cities over the next 48 hours, the situation could become a serious problem if flight disruptions continue.
For now, all three companies are moving toward their scheduled events, but the nationwide flight shutdown has created another obstacle at the worst possible time. Whether everyone makes it to their destinations without issues remains to be seen.
Do you think the FAA’s nationwide ground stop could cause problems for AEW Full Gear, TNA Destination X or WWE’s weekend events? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
