Construction Accident Causes Widespread Flight Delays on East Coast
A severed cable disrupted air traffic control systems, grounding hundreds of flights across multiple major airports.
Hundreds of flights experienced delays on Monday afternoon after construction workers accidentally severed a cable essential for air traffic control operations. The incident led to ground stops and disruptions at major airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Transport officials stated that the damage impacted the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) system, which plays a critical role in guiding aircraft during takeoff and landing. The affected cable belonged to telecommunications company Verizon, which confirmed it was working on repairs. Verizon stated that it "bears no responsibility" for the incident.
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was the most significantly impacted, with FlightAware reporting 267 departing flights delayed and an additional 257 flights destined for Newark also affected. John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, along with Philadelphia International Airport, also experienced disruptions.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy identified Amtrak construction workers in New Jersey as responsible for the incident. He explained on X, formerly Twitter, that their work resulted in a "telecom outage" that necessitated the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounding flights. Officials noted that the severed cable was part of a backup network, and the error was only discovered after the primary circuit failed.
The widespread disruption occurred just ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York City, which was expected to draw numerous world leaders arriving at airports in the New York area on Tuesday.