More than 600 flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were canceled by 6 p.m. Monday, September 21, 2026, after a Verizon fiber optic cable used as a backup data feed for air traffic control was accidentally severed by a construction crew in New Jersey, officials said.
Construction workers from NJ Transit working between New Brunswick and North Brunswick, New Jersey, cut the fiber-optic cable roughly 10 feet from utility markings, disrupting the backup system supporting air traffic controllers. The Federal Aviation Administration responded by halting flights bound for Newark and Philadelphia International Airport, forcing nearly 100 planes, including international flights,
to divert to other U.S. airports.
Flight Cancellations, Delays, and Diversions Across Key Airports
Flight disruptions affected airports in the New York City area and Philadelphia. Newark saw over 600 cancellations and nearly 100 delays. Philadelphia International Airport experienced over 200 cancellations and more than 400 delays. Flights into LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport were initially stopped by the FAA but later resumed with residual delays by late afternoon.
United Airlines reported over 100 Newark-bound flights diverted to alternate airports. An SAS flight from Stockholm was redirected to Washington Dulles International Airport, while a United flight from Berlin was diverted to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
Airport.
Air Traffic Control Systems Disrupted
The incident impaired the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Philadelphia that manages aircraft arriving and departing from Newark and Philadelphia airports. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford explained the disruption began with a failure of the primary circuit and that switching to the backup fiber revealed a break in the cable. Flights could not be safely managed until repairs were underway.
Airline Responses to the Disruption
United Airlines waived flight change fees for affected passengers and offered extra pay to staff picking up shifts at Newark to address staffing shortages. The airline also ensured commuter space for employees traveling to the New York City
area. American Airlines similarly waived flight change fees and permitted customers to reroute flights through different airports.
Official Statements and Repair Efforts
Verizon stated its systems were fully operational before the construction contractors severed the cable and emphasized it bears no responsibility for the incident. The company immediately deployed technicians to repair the damaged fiber and restore connectivity.
NJ Transit confirmed its construction crew accidentally cut the fiber-optic line and is investigating whether Verizon or the contractor made the utility markings at the site.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on X that flights were resuming following repairs and highlighted the urgency of modernizing aging infrastructure
to prevent similar future disruptions.
The cable cut occurred hours before the United Nations General Assembly convened in New York City on September 22, underscoring the impact on one of the nation’s busiest travel periods. The Trump administration had announced a multibillion-dollar initiative the previous year to overhaul U.S. air traffic control equipment, a response to longstanding technological challenges.
