An architecture to avoid handover ping-pong for aerial user equipment (UE) operational in terrestrial fourth generation (4G) and/or fifth generation (5G) long term evolution (LTE) networks. A method can comprise receiving a request to connect to the network equipment from aerial user equipment; based on the request to connect, retrieving subscription data; based on the subscription data, determining that the aerial user equipment is aerial equipment; determining that the aerial user equipment is engaged in a ping-pong handover event with terrestrial based network equipment situated within a defined geographic area; and transmitting instructions to the aerial user equipment to confirm the ping-pong handover event, wherein the instruction comprises a delay value representing a back off time value for the aerial user equipment to refrain from gathering measurement data within the defined geographic area.