Stories
Hundreds of US Flights Canceled, Delayed Due to Air Traffic Control Glitch
M
Moneycontrol•22-09-2026, 01:04
Hundreds of US Flights Canceled, Delayed Due to Air Traffic Control Glitch
- •Hundreds of US flights were canceled or delayed in the Northeast due to technical problems at a key regional air traffic control center.
- •Operations at major New York City area airports were halted for several hours, coinciding with foreign leaders arriving for the UN General Assembly.
- •A primary circuit failed at an FAA facility in Philadelphia, and a backup fiber optic line was also cut due to construction.
- •The same Philadelphia FAA facility caused disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport in spring 2025.
- •FAA Administrator Brian Bedford stated that repairing the fiber break could take approximately 13 hours.
Key Questions Answered
A primary circuit failure at an air traffic facility in Philadelphia caused technical problems, which were compounded because a backup fibre optic line had also been cut due to construction between New Brunswick and Newark.
The technical failure impacted flights into Philadelphia as well as New York City's major hubs, including Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports.
FAA administrator Brian Bedford stated that repairing the massive fiber break would likely take about 13 hours.
