Hundreds of flights across major U.S. airports have been delayed following construction workers unintentionally severing a critical cable essential for air traffic control.
Ground stops were imposed on Monday afternoon affecting major airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Reports from US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that the fiber had been restored, with airports slated to return to regular schedules even though some delays remained anticipated.
The widespread east‑coast disruption unfolded shortly before the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York City on Tuesday, an event expected to draw numerous heads of state into local airports.
Notably, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham secured boarding prior to the onset of congestion, and his journey was projected to proceed without interruption.
The downtime resulted from the compromised cable impairing Terminal Radar Approach Control—a vital facility that directs aircraft during departure and approach, according to transportation officials.
NJ Transit disclosed that its contractors mistakenly cut the network segment after markers at the excavation spot had been mispositioned.
The broadcaster has prompted NJ Transit for additional remarks.
Earlier, Secretary Duffy credited Amtrak personnel—engaged in the construction effort—for the fault. Their actions induced a telecommunications outage, prompting the FAA to ground subsequent flights, according to statements made on X.
An official from Amtrak confirmed involvement of a NJ Transit subcontractor in the mishap. Verizon, the cable’s owner, responded that it held no liability.
The disconnected link was originally a redundant route; the malfunction became evident only after the primary conduit suffered failure, as explained by FAA chief Bryan Bedford.
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey—one of the city’s principal hubs—experienced the greatest impact from this air‑traffic disruption, per flight‑tracking service FlightAware.
Tracking data show that 267 outgoing flights were postponed today, accompanied by an additional 257 scheduled arrivals to Newark.
Both John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia in New York, together with Philadelphia International, also experienced similar interruptions.
Passenger Douglas Tewnion stated that he flew from Edinburgh to New York but was ultimately rerouted to Boston, Massachusetts upon arrival in the capital.
In an interview with the BBC, Tewnion recalled that roughly two hours after his flight’s scheduled touchdown in New York, he and fellow travelers found themselves confined to Boston’s parking area while awaiting unclear instructions.
While everyone expressed optimism, Tewnion acknowledged that the added two‑hour wait constituted a considerable inconvenience.
Additional reporting by Ione Wells
