Flights at major US airports delayed after cable cut by construction workers
Verizon, which owns the cable, says it is working to repair it "as quickly as possible".
Hundreds of flights were delayed across major US airports on Monday afternoon due to a cable cut by construction workers. The incident impacted airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The Terminal Radar Approach Control system, used to guide planes during takeoff and landing, was affected by the damage.
Verizon, the telecommunications company responsible for the cable, stated they were working swiftly to repair it and would not accept responsibility for the incident. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey suffered the most significant disruption, reporting 267 delayed departing flights and 257 flights bound for Newark being delayed.
John F Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, as well as Philadelphia International Airport, also experienced delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed the damage was caused by Amtrak workers conducting construction in New Jersey, resulting in a telecom outage that prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground flights.
The outage occurred after the primary circuit failed, and officials only discovered the severed backup cable. This east coast disruption precedes the UN General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday, with numerous world leaders expected to arrive at New York-area airports.
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