Fiber line cut disrupts flights at New York-area airports

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration has paused flights at several major Northeast airports after an Amtrak construction crew accidentally severed a fiber line in New Jersey, causing telecommunications outages that disrupted air traffic across the region.

Incident cuts connectivity

The disruption began when the construction crew working on Amtrak infrastructure in New Jersey accidentally cut through the critical fiber line. The resulting telecommunications outage forced aviation officials to halt operations temporarily at multiple facilities to maintain safety standards while technicians assessed the damage.

Mixed status across airports

Duffy announced via social media platform X that flights have resumed at LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport. Operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Teterboro Airport remained paused while restoration crews continued repairs.

Infrastructure funding urged

In a statement posted online, Duffy highlighted the incident as evidence of systemic vulnerabilities. "This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernize aging infrastructure and prevent disruptions like this in the future," he said. The FAA urged travelers to check flight status with airlines and monitor real-time updates at fly.faa.gov while technicians worked to restore full service.