Cut cable and failed circuit at FAA Philadelphia facility halted flights across the Northeast

A primary communications circuit failed at an FAA facility in Philadelphia on Monday, and the backup fiber optic line that should have taken over had been severed by a railroad construction crew. The combination left controllers without radar or communications and triggered ground stops at JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, and Boston.

FlightAware recorded over 1,000 canceled flights across the U.S. by Monday evening, when Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the lines had been repaired and airports were resuming operations.

Who cut the cable is in dispute. Duffy said an Amtrak crew was responsible. Amtrak said the work occurred on New Jersey Transit property and involved a New Jersey Transit contractor. Verizon, which owns the cable, said it bore no responsibility and blamed construction contractors in the area.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters the fiber break would take roughly 13 hours to repair but said a new circuit on the primary line might restore service sooner. The same Philadelphia facility caused disruptions at Newark in the spring of 2025.