A severed fiber-optic cable caused major disruptions to air traffic control communications at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston on the evening of October 13, 2026. The damaged cable, cut earlier that day by a construction contractor, led to an FAA-issued ground stop on flights destined for IAH.
FAA Ground Stop Issued and Expanded
The Federal Aviation Administration announced the ground stop Tuesday evening, warning that restrictions could extend to more flights. In an operations advisory, the FAA stated, “IAH has lost major communications and users can expect the current ground stop to be extended and expanded.” The agency did not provide exact times for
lifting the ground stop but indicated ongoing operational impacts.
Flight Delays, Cancellations, and Customs Processing
Houston Airports confirmed repair crews were onsite addressing the fiber-optic cable damage. The disruption potentially affected flight schedules with delays and cancellations possible through the evening. International arrivals at IAH faced longer processing times through U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Houston Airports coordinated closely with airlines and Customs to manage passenger flow and airport operations amid the outage.
Impact Limited to George Bush Intercontinental Airport
The FAA clarified the outage did not affect William P. Hobby Airport or other Houston terminal area airports. This incident followed a similar fiber-optic cable outage on October 12, 2026, at Raleigh-Durham International
Airport. There, a contractor also severed a fiber line, causing multiple FAA ground stops, flight cancellations, and arrival delays exceeding two hours.
Both events underscore ongoing vulnerabilities in critical air traffic communications infrastructure as the FAA continues efforts to modernize its aging network.
