Hundreds of flights faced delays and ground stops on 21 September 2026 across major US airports including Newark Liberty International and New York City area airports after construction workers severed a cable critical to air traffic control systems.
Newark and New York Airports Bear Brunt of Delays
Newark Liberty International Airport recorded the largest impact with 267 departing flights and 257 arrivals delayed Monday. John F Kennedy International, LaGuardia Airport in New York, and Philadelphia International Airport also experienced disruptions. Flights continued to face delays into the evening as airports worked to restore full operations.
Cause of Disruption Traced to Misplaced Digging Markers
NJ Transit construction crews conducting work related to Amtrak inadvertently cut a backup telecommunications
cable due to misplaced digging site markers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the severed cable was a backup network identified only after a failure in the primary circuit. This outage affected the Terminal Radar Approach Control system used during takeoff and landing procedures.
Passenger Impact and Official Responses
Passengers were subjected to ground holds and diversions, including a flight from Edinburgh to New York rerouted to Boston, where travelers waited on the tarmac for two hours without updates. Passenger Douglas Tewnion described the experience as “just a pain” but noted that “everyone is in good spirits.”
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the cable
repair and gradual resumption of normal operations but warned continued delays. FAA chief Bryan Bedford explained the backup network disruption compounded the outage. NJ Transit acknowledged its construction workers’ role and the misplaced markers, while Amtrak clarified that its contractor was involved. Verizon, the cable owner, denied responsibility for the damage.
This disruption came ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, which expected numerous world leaders arriving through these airports. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham avoided delay by boarding before the incident began.
