FAA Halts East Coast Flights After Telecom Failure and Fiber Cut

The Federal Aviation Administration halted incoming flights at major East Coast airports on Monday after a primary telecommunications circuit failed and a backup fiber optic line was accidentally cut, causing widespread delays and cancellations. The disruption affected operations at John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, Philadelphia International, and Boston Logan airports, as well as two smaller New York-area airports. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated that the primary circuit at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control facility failed first, impacting frequencies and radar links. When the system attempted to switch to a backup line, officials discovered it had been severed by a construction crew in New Jersey. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy identified the crew as working for Amtrak. Verizon later stated its contractors had dug up and cut the cable along the Amtrak rail line. The incident caused significant travel chaos. At Newark Liberty alone, more than 1,000 flights were delayed or canceled. Nationwide, nearly 4,000 flights experienced delays and 500 were canceled.