Last Updated: 05/28/2024 12:16PM ET
On June 7, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a ground stop for all flights into LaGuardia Airport in New York City, due to smoke and limited visibility caused by wildfires in Canada. The situation has delayed thousands of flights to LaGuardia, as well as flights heading to surrounding airports, including Philadelphia and Newark.
Some travel insurance policies offer Travel Delay benefits for “any delay of a common carrier”. Within these policies, the Travel Delay and Missed Connection benefits can provide coverage for travelers whose trips are impacted by the ground stop. In order for coverage to apply, their flight delay must meet the policy’s minimum delay requirement, which is typically 3-12 hours, depending on the policy.
The FAA Ground Stop Travel Insurance Information Center includes advice for travelers and answers to our most commonly asked questions about the delays. This information is subject to change. Squaremouth’s experts will continue to update this information as the situation evolves.
Questions? Squaremouth’s travel insurance experts are on hand to answer your questions about coverage relating to the FAA ground stop and subsequent flight delays. We are available from 8am to 10pm ET daily by chat and by phone at 1-800-240-0369.
On June 7, 2023, the FAA grounded all flights into LaGuardia Airport due to smoke and limited visibility, and surrounding airports also saw a significant number of delays.
Within some travel insurance policies, the Travel Delay and Missed Connection benefits may provide coverage, as the delays caused by the outages are considered "any delay of a common carrier".
If you are traveling and have experienced delays due to the FAA ground stop, Squaremouth's experts are available to answer your questions. If you already have a policy, contact your provider's 24-Hour Emergency Assistance for help.