On Monday, September 21, 2026, construction crews severed a Verizon fiber-optic cable at a New Jersey rail project between New Brunswick and North Brunswick. The cut disrupted a backup data feed for air traffic control, causing an outage at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Philadelphia, which manages flights in and out of Newark Liberty International and Philadelphia International Airports.
The disruption began after an initial failure of a primary FAA circuit. According to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, “when it went to flip into the backup, we discovered the backup fiber had a break.” The
outage prompted the FAA to halt flights bound for Newark and Philadelphia, forcing nearly 100 planes to divert to other U.S. airports, including international flights arriving from Europe.
Newark and Philadelphia Air Traffic Severely Impacted
By 6 p.m. on September 21, over 600 flights departing and arriving at Newark were canceled, accounting for more than half of its daily schedule, while nearly 100 flights were delayed, according to FlightAware. Philadelphia International Airport experienced more than 200 flight cancellations and over 400 delays. United Airlines and American Airlines were among the carriers most affected, with flights also disrupted at New York City’s JFK and LaGuardia airports. Ground stops
were enforced, resulting in delays of up to 150 minutes at Newark, and flights to and from JFK and LaGuardia resumed later in the evening with residual delays.
Flights already en route, including some from Iceland, Egypt, Greece, Spain, France, Berlin, and Stockholm, were redirected to alternative airports. For example, a United Airlines flight from Berlin landed in Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and an SAS flight from Stockholm was diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport. Boston Logan International Airport confirmed receiving multiple diversions from affected New York and Philadelphia-area airports.
FAA Ground Stops, Repair Efforts, and Ongoing Delays
Ground stops at Newark Liberty International extended until 8:59
p.m., while JFK and LaGuardia airports expected delays lasting until 10:59 p.m. and 9:59 p.m. respectively. Repairs to the severed Verizon fiber-optic cable were underway on Monday evening. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the telecommunications lines had been restored later that evening.
NJ Transit, whose property the cable was cut on during the Delco Lead rail construction project, stated a crew working approximately 10 feet from utility markings “accidentally severed a fiber-optic cable while working at the site.” The agency said it is investigating responsibility for the utility markings and cooperating with Verizon and contractors on the repair status.
Official Accounts and Corporate Responses
FAA
Administrator Bryan Bedford clarified the sequence of events causing the outage: “the primary circuit failed, and when it went to flip into the backup, we discovered the backup fiber had a break.” Verizon explained that construction contractors caused the cable cut by digging in the area, but maintained its facilities were fully operational until that point and stated, “Verizon bears no responsibility for this incident.” Verizon deployed technicians immediately to repair the damage and restore connectivity.
NJ Transit confirmed staff are on-site continuing to assess repair progress and accountability for the utility markings involved.
Airline Measures and Passenger Impact
United Airlines waived flight change fees
for customers affected by the disruptions and offered additional pay to crews picking up trips at Newark to address staffing challenges. American Airlines also waived change fees and allowed passengers to fly from alternate airports. Passenger delays peaked near 150 minutes at Newark, with extensive cancellations and diversions increasing travel challenges along the Northeast corridor.
Systemic Air Traffic Control Challenges Amid UN General Assembly
The outage coincided with the arrival of over 130 world leaders in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly. The Federal Aviation Administration has faced recurring infrastructure and technology issues, particularly at the Philadelphia TRACON and Newark facilities. In 2025, Congress approved $12.5
billion to modernize and upgrade the aging U.S. air traffic control system, addressing vulnerabilities illustrated by Monday’s incident.
