Flights Delayed at Major US Airports Due to Cut Cable

Flights resumed at New York's LaGuardia Airport and other airports on Monday evening after a disruption caused by construction workers accidentally cutting a cable necessary for air traffic control. Hundreds of flights were delayed at major airports in the US following the incident. Ground stops and delays were issued on Monday afternoon for airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Hours later, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the cable had been repaired and that airports would return to normal operations, although delays were still anticipated. The disruption occurred ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Tuesday, which is expected to see many world leaders arriving at New York-area airports. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham managed to board his flight before the delays began and arrived as planned. The delays were attributed to the damaged cable affecting the Terminal Radar Approach Control system, which is used to guide planes during takeoff and landing, according to transport officials. New Jersey's public transportation agency NJ Transit stated that its construction workers had accidentally severed the line, and markers had been incorrectly placed at the digging site. The BBC has reached out to NJ Transit for further comment. Duffy indicated that the damage was caused by workers from Amtrak, the US national operator of intercity railroad service, who were conducting construction work. This incident led to a telecom outage that forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground flights, as Duffy posted on X. An Amtrak spokesperson stated that the incident involved a NJ Transit contractor, while telecommunications company Verizon, which owns the cable, claimed it was not responsible. The severed cable was identified as a backup network, and the error was discovered only after the primary circuit failed, according to FAA head Bryan Bedford. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, one of the three major airports serving New York City, was the most affected by the air traffic control disruptions. Flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that 267 departing flights were delayed, along with an additional 257 flights destined for Newark. John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, as well as Philadelphia International Airport, were also impacted. One passenger, Douglas Tewnion, reported that he boarded a flight to New York from Edinburgh, which was diverted to Boston, Massachusetts instead. He mentioned that two hours after his flight was scheduled to arrive in New York, he and other passengers were still on the tarmac in Boston with no information. Although he noted that 'everyone is in good spirits', he expressed frustration at the additional wait time.