Nearly 900 flights were delayed on Monday, September 21, 2026, at Newark Liberty, Philadelphia, and Teterboro airports due to an air traffic control outage at Philadelphia TRACON. The FAA paused arrivals at these airports starting around 10:15 a.m. Flights into John F. Kennedy (JFK) and LaGuardia airports resumed after an initial pause, but ground delays persisted at those locations.
Cause of Outage and Repair Efforts
The outage was caused by an accidental fiber optic line cut by an Amtrak construction crew affecting Philadelphia TRACON communication systems. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fiber cut caused the telecom disruption, forcing the FAA to pause flights. FAA Administrator
Bryan Bedford said repair involves installing a new circuit on the primary fiber line while fixing the backup line.
Bedford described the fiber break as massive and estimated repairs would take about 13 hours. The FAA has not provided a precise completion time due to repair complexity.
Numerical Impact and Timeline
The Philadelphia TRACON outage began at approximately 10:15 a.m. and extended through at least 4:45 p.m. The pause at Newark Liberty and Teterboro airports lasted until at least 4:45 p.m., with ground delays ongoing at Philadelphia, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, and Teterboro airports. FlightAware.com reported nearly 900 flights delayed as of 3 p.m.
Traveler Delays Across Regional Airports
Passengers experienced delays of multiple hours at Newark Liberty, Philadelphia, and Teterboro airports due to flight pauses and ground delays. Ground delays also affected operations at JFK and LaGuardia airports, disrupting air travel across the northeastern United States.
Official Statements on Infrastructure
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on X: “This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernize aging infrastructure and prevent disruptions like this in the future.” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford added, “That fiber break is probably 13 hours to repair. It’s massive.”
