A Verizon fiber-optic cable was accidentally severed by an NJ Transit construction crew on September 21, 2026, disabling a critical backup telecommunications feed at the FAA’s Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility. The Philadelphia TRACON, which manages traffic for Philadelphia-area and Newark flights, experienced a primary circuit failure and was unable to switch to backup due to the cut fiber line.
Newark and JFK Account for Most Cancellations
The outage forced the FAA to halt or restrict arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport. Newark canceled over 600 flights and delayed nearly
100 more, representing more than half its daily schedule by 6 p.m. Philadelphia International Airport canceled more than 200 flights and delayed over 400 others. Flights into JFK and LaGuardia were temporarily halted, with lingering delays throughout the afternoon.
Across the U.S., about 9,500 flights were delayed or canceled due to the cascading effects of the disruption. More than 100 flights destined for Newark were diverted to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and other alternate airports. Newark endured approximately eight hours without arriving commercial flights.
Timeline and Cause of the Outage
NJ Transit reported its construction crew accidentally cut the fiber-optic cable
about 10 feet from marked utilities while working on a rail project between New Brunswick and North Brunswick, New Jersey, along the Amtrak rail line. Verizon confirmed that its facilities were fully operational until the cable was cut by the contractors, stating, “Construction contractors working in the area dug up and cut our cable.” Verizon technicians were immediately dispatched and worked to repair the damage.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford explained the incident, saying, “When it went to flip into the backup, we discovered the backup fiber had a break.” The primary telecommunications circuit at the Philadelphia TRACON had failed earlier,
and the damaged backup fiber prevented communications from being restored promptly.
Official Responses and Airline Actions
NJ Transit acknowledged the cable was “accidentally severed” during its construction work and said it was investigating the utility markings at the site. Verizon disclaimed responsibility for the outage, noting its infrastructure was intact before the construction crew caused the damage.
United Airlines waived change fees for affected travelers, offered additional pay incentives to staff willing to work trips at Newark, and allowed employees to commute from the New York City area. American Airlines also waived change fees and permitted travel from alternate airports to accommodate disrupted passengers.
Transportation
Secretary Sean Duffy commented on the incident, emphasizing the FAA’s ongoing modernization efforts for infrastructure resilience. He noted flights resumed after repairs were made but reiterated the need for updated communications architectures to prevent similar failures.
FAA Modernization and Infrastructure Vulnerabilities
The outage highlighted weaknesses in the FAA’s aging telecommunications network, which is undergoing a multibillion-dollar modernization. The FAA is replacing older copper wiring with high-speed fiber optics and implementing new communications technology, with planned completion by December 2028.
According to a May 2026 report from the Government Accountability Office, 51 of the FAA’s 138 air traffic control systems were unsustainable, with another 54 potentially
so, threatening reliability across the network that manages roughly 45,000 daily flights. As of May 2026, the FAA had replaced 2,560 of 5,170 copper lines. An August progress update noted 63% of copper wiring had been replaced with fiber, 5G, or satellite links, and 176 internet-protocol voice switches had been installed.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the remaining copper wiring is expected to be upgraded by September 2027 to enhance redundancy and prevent outages like the one on September 21.
