On Monday, September 21, 2026, a Verizon fiber-optic cable was accidentally severed during construction in New Brunswick, New Jersey, cutting a backup communication feed for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). This outage disrupted data channels critical to managing flights in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
Ground Stops and Flight Disruptions Across New York and Philadelphia
The FAA implemented ground stops starting at 9:48 a.m. at Philadelphia and around 10:00 a.m. at Newark, extending Newark’s ground stop until at least 1:45 p.m. Flights into New York’s LaGuardia (LGA) and JFK airports were temporarily halted, with delays persisting into
late afternoon.
By 6 p.m. Monday, over 600 flights were canceled at Newark, surpassing half of the day’s schedule, accompanied by nearly 100 delays. Philadelphia experienced more than 200 cancellations and over 400 delays. Overall, the affected flights represented over 20% of scheduled traffic at Newark and Philadelphia combined.
Flight diversions included more than 100 scheduled for Newark being rerouted to alternative U.S. airports such as Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. United Airlines reported diverting a Berlin flight to Detroit, while SAS redirected a Stockholm flight bound for Newark to Dulles.
Passenger Impact and Airline Responses
Delays at Newark averaged
105 minutes by late morning, increasing to 124 minutes at noon, with arrival delays averaging 49 minutes. Passengers experienced delays of up to 150 minutes on the ground. United Airlines waived change fees for affected travelers and offered additional pay incentives to staff covering Newark operations. American Airlines also waived fees and permitted customers to depart from alternative nearby airports.
Flights that had been halted at LaGuardia and JFK resumed late Monday afternoon, though residual delays continued due to the extended disruption. Airlines adjusted schedules post-ground stop to reposition aircraft and crews, prolonging delays.
Official Statements on Cause and Recovery Efforts
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated the
initial problem arose when switching to the backup circuit revealed a break in the fiber-optic cable. “When it went to flip into the backup, we discovered the backup fiber had a break,” Bedford said. The cut occurred about 10 feet from utility markings during NJ Transit construction work on a rail project between New Brunswick and North Brunswick, New Jersey. NJ Transit confirmed the cable was “accidentally severed” by contractors.
Verizon acknowledged that its facilities were fully operational up to the cable cut and denied responsibility, saying, “Construction contractors working in the area dug up and cut our cable. Verizon
bears no responsibility for this incident.” Verizon technicians were deployed immediately to repair the damage.
Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary, announced that flights were resuming by Monday evening and emphasized the incident’s illustration of the necessity to modernize aging infrastructure.
FAA System Challenges and Regional Context
The Philadelphia TRACON manages aircraft traffic for Newark, Philadelphia, and surrounding airports, including ground control. The loss of the backup fiber feed disrupted several TRACON frequencies, causing cascading air traffic control failures across the New York metropolitan area and Philadelphia.
The FAA experienced similar technology and telecommunication failures at Newark and Philadelphia facilities in 2025, which prompted installation of new fiber
optics and backup equipment. Despite these efforts, aging air traffic control systems continue to present vulnerabilities, contributing to extended delays during incidents like this Verizon fiber outage.
The disruption came mere hours before international leaders’ arrival in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, impacting flights during a critical regional travel period.
