Flights at major US airports delayed after cable cut by construction workers

Hundreds of flights were delayed at major U.S. airports after construction workers accidentally cut a cable essential to air traffic control. Ground stops and delays were issued on Monday for airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Transport officials said the damage affected the Terminal Radar Approach Control system, which guides planes during takeoff and landing. Verizon, the cable’s owner, told U.S. media it was working to repair the line "as rapidly as possible" and that it "bears no responsibility" for the incident. According to flight‑tracking site FlightAware, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey bore the brunt of the disruption, with 267 departing flights delayed and an additional 257 flights destined for Newark also held up. John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, as well as Philadelphia International Airport, reported similar delays. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the severance was caused by Amtrak workers performing construction in New Jersey. He posted on X that the mishap "caused a telecom outage" which forced the FAA to crushed flights, noting the severed line was a backup circuit and the problem only became apparent after the primary circuit failed. The East Coast outage occurs ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday, an event expected to draw numerous world leaders into the region’s airports.