US FAA says error messages in telecommunications circuit prompted shift to backup on Sunday

On Sunday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) switched to a backup fiber line due to a series of error messages in a telecommunications circuit, according to the agency's head. The incident led to a halt of around 9,500 US flights, causing delays and cancellations at major airports, including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington. The disruption forced the halt of incoming flights during the critical day of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The FAA's contractor, L3Harris, had initially wanted to switch to the backup on Sunday to start troubleshooting the circuit at a Philadelphia air traffic control facility before a New Jersey Transit contractor accidentally cut the backup fiber line near New Brunswick, New Jersey, on Monday. L3Harris did not respond to a request for comment.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated that the agency does not have the redundancy needed if the current system fails, as it lacks the modern architecture. Bedford believes the upgrade will cost $27 billion in total, with Congress needing to approve an additional $10.5 billion for the project. The FAA plans to replace outdated copper wires with fiber in the existing network like Verizon or AT&T, with completion expected by September 2027.

However, Bedford emphasized that this upgrade alone will not prevent future outages, as additional funds were not allocated for addressing the need for a new telecom system in the first phase of the project.