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Tue, 22 Sep 2026

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 Flights at major US airports delayed after cable cut by construction workers

The cable had been repaired and airports are resuming normal operations, the US transportation secretary says.
A cable used for air traffic control was accidentally cut by construction workers, causing hundreds of flight delays at major US airports on Monday afternoon. The damage occurred at New York's LaGuardia Airport and other airports including Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The severed cable was a backup network, and the error only became apparent when the primary circuit failed, according to FAA head Bryan Bedford. As a result of the disruption, ground stops were issued at various airports, leading to delays for hundreds of flights. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the issue had been resolved by Monday evening, but some delays were still expected. The incident occurred ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday, which is expected to attract scores of world leaders arriving into the New York area. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham was able to board his flight before the delays began and arrived as planned. A total of 267 flights were delayed at Newark Liberty International Airport, with a further 257 flights destined for Newark also experiencing delays.