- A Verizon fiber cable cut in New Jersey during construction caused the FAA to halt flights bound for Newark Liberty International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport, and later LaGuardia and JFK.
- More than 400 flights in and out of Newark were canceled Monday, more than a quarter of the day's schedule, according to FlightAware; nearly 400 Philadelphia flights were delayed.
- United Airlines and American Airlines waived change fees for travelers affected by the disruption.
- The FAA pointed to issues with some frequencies at Philadelphia TRACON, the terminal radar approach control facility guiding planes in and out of Newark and Philadelphia.
- The incident occurred hours before President Donald Trump and international leaders were scheduled to arrive in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
Quotes
“We have a fiber cable running adjacent to an Amtrak rail line in New Jersey. Construction contractors working in the area dug up and cut our cable”
“Verizon's facilities were fully functional up to that point. Verizon bears no responsibility for this incident.”
“due to issues with some frequencies at Philadelphia TRACON”