{
  "id": 20103219,
  "title": "US flight chaos caused by repair of old copper wiring: Trump admin",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/us-flight-chaos-caused-by-repair-of-old-copper-wiring-trump-admin",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-15T02:52:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2044632/us-flight-chaos-caused-by-repair-of-old-copper-wiring-trump-admin"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tired passengers faced more flight disruptions as service at US airports resumed after a four-hour total stoppage on Friday. The Trump administration blamed the widespread chaos on a mishap during the replacement of old copper wire communication lines with a high-speed fiber cable. Hundreds of thousands of passengers were left stranded, some even being pulled off planes moments before their departure. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Bryan Bedford apologized to the American traveling public, predicting a full resumption of flight schedules by the end of the day on Sunday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the ground stop was declared due to communication issues with airplanes and radar feeds caused by the faulty installation of the new wire. This was only the second time such a ground stoppage had occurred in US airspace since the 9/11 attacks. Despite the resolution, experts warn of potential follow-on disruptions as airlines rebook passengers and restore services.",
  "summary": "Weary travellers endured more flight disruptions as service resumed at US airports after an hours-long total stoppage, with officials saying the situation should return to normal on Sunday. The Trump administration blamed the mess that began Friday on a botched replacement of old copper wire communication lines. The nationwide ground stop — meaning no planes can take off — sparked widespread…",
  "key_points": [
    "Four-hour airport stoppage caused by faulty wiring replacement",
    "Hundreds of thousands stranded, some pulled off planes",
    "FAA chief predicts full resumption by end of Sunday"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The botched transition from copper to fiber optics exposes critical vulnerabilities in the nation's aging aviation infrastructure and threatens the reliability of essential communication systems for air travel.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "US flight chaos traced to botched copper wire upgrade: Trump administration",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/us-flight-chaos-traced-to-botched-copper-wire-upgrade-trump",
        "published": "2026-11-14T23:44:09.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}