{
  "id": 9016527,
  "title": "Flights at major US airports delayed after cable cut by construction workers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/flights-at-major-us-airports-delayed-after-cable-cut-by-construction-9016527",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T21:31:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Business",
    "slug": "bbc-business",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckvgyzzgvv4wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hundreds of flights faced delays at key US airports on Monday afternoon following a construction worker's accidental cut to a crucial cable. Ground stops were issued for airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, impacting air traffic control systems. The damage specifically affected the Terminal Radar Approach Control system, which guides planes during takeoff and landing. Verizon, the telecommunications company responsible for the cable, stated it was working swiftly to repair the damage and bore no responsibility for the incident. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was hit the hardest, with 267 departing flights delayed and 257 inbound flights also impacted, according to FlightAware. John F Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, as well as Philadelphia International Airport, also experienced delays. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed that the incident was caused by Amtrak construction workers in New Jersey, leading to a telecom outage and forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground flights. The severed cable was a backup network, and the error was only discovered after the primary circuit failed. This major East Coast disruption occurred just before the UN General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday, which will be attended by numerous world leaders arriving at New York-area airports.",
  "summary": "Verizon, which owns the cable, says it is working to repair it \"as quickly as possible\".",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "Flights at major US airports delayed after cable cut by construction workers",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/flights-at-major-us-airports-delayed-after-cable-cut-by-construction",
        "published": "2026-09-21T21:31:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}