Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Accidentally cut wire triggers travel chaos at major US airports as passengers face seven-hour delays
UK Daily Mail ^ | 09/21/2026 | STACY LIBERATORE

Posted on 09/21/2026 1:44:51 PM PDT by DFG

A travel nightmare engulfed five major Northeast airports Monday after construction contractors accidentally severed a Verizon cable.

Ground stops are in effect for Newark Liberty International (EWR), Teterboro (TEB), Philadelphia International (PHL) and John F Kennedy International (JFK), with some delays reaching seven hours.

Meanwhile, flights departing from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Queens, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) are also facing ground delays.

Bryan Bedford, the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said Monday that the 600-foot fiber cable cut occurred 'somewhere between' New Brunswick and Newark, New Jersey.

'Somebody dug it up,' Bedford told reporters, as captured on video by CBS News.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said an Amtrak crew mistakenly severed the fiber-optic line during construction, triggering the telecommunications failure and widespread flight disruptions.

'This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernize aging infrastructure and prevent disruptions like this in the future,' Duffy wrote on social platform X.

The flights were halted on the day 130 world leaders and dozens of ministers were ​arriving in New York for the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

The FAA has ordered flights bound for EWR to remain at their departure airports because of the ongoing equipment outage.

The ground stop is scheduled to remain in effect until at least 4.45pm ET, with a moderate chance it will be extended.

Passengers are now facing average delays of three hours and eight minutes, while the worst delay has surged to nearly seven hours, according to the FAA alerts.

Another ground stop has been issued for flights heading to PHL, with affected planes being held at their departure airports from 3.50pm until at least 5pm, with a moderate chance the stop will be extended.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: amtrak; fiberoptic; groundstop; illegals; newark; newbrunswick; newjersey; seanduffy

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-55 next last
Amtrak crew mistakenly severed the fiber-optic line during construction
1 posted on 09/21/2026 1:44:51 PM PDT by DFG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: DFG

I am surprised the first post was not the picture from the movie “Airplane” of the guy pulling the plug....


2 posted on 09/21/2026 1:46:36 PM PDT by woodbutcher1963
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: T.B. Yoits
From the article: "Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said an Amtrak crew mistakenly severed the fiber-optic line during construction..."

Bet that it wasn't an Amtrak crew but a DEI contractor.

3 posted on 09/21/2026 1:47:33 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Ya think we have a general lack of redundancy in our utility infrastructure?


4 posted on 09/21/2026 1:48:26 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (Stupidity is an acquired trait, requiring many years of careful practice)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: woodbutcher1963

I was expecting to see it in the first 3.


5 posted on 09/21/2026 1:49:13 PM PDT by posterchild
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Fiber cables are frequently run along railroad right of ways.


6 posted on 09/21/2026 1:49:23 PM PDT by Col Frank Slade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG
6ab185847cbca6ab185847cbcb
7 posted on 09/21/2026 1:55:29 PM PDT by V_TWIN (America....so great even the people that hate it won't leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: posterchild
Ok how about...Zis is KAOS


8 posted on 09/21/2026 1:55:47 PM PDT by xp38
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: woodbutcher1963

See 7 😂


9 posted on 09/21/2026 1:56:14 PM PDT by V_TWIN (America....so great even the people that hate it won't leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

Came to see this, did not disappoint!


10 posted on 09/21/2026 1:56:49 PM PDT by proust (All posts made under this handle are, for the intents and purposes of the author, considered satire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: DFG
Back in my demolition days, I accidently severed a live 440v line that fed into a Boeing lab.

The panel being removed was certified dead.

Fortunately The demo saw had an emory wheel or I wouldn't be posting today.

The engineers were most upset I interrupted their computerized solitaire game(s).

11 posted on 09/21/2026 1:59:07 PM PDT by chief lee runamok (Full-time flâneur, bullish on bikes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Someone is looking for a new job today.

But I hear the bomb disposal unit is hiring.


12 posted on 09/21/2026 1:59:42 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Some people want to control their own life, others want to control the lives of others. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

Yeah. Sure, Bryan.


13 posted on 09/21/2026 2:00:07 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

14 posted on 09/21/2026 2:00:09 PM PDT by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG

That Verizon Cable didn’t cut itself, so who did it?
Somebody knows.


15 posted on 09/21/2026 2:00:55 PM PDT by lee martell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: proust

👍👌


16 posted on 09/21/2026 2:01:41 PM PDT by V_TWIN (America....so great even the people that hate it won't leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: DFG

I worked a summer job many years ago with a construction crew laying new storm sewer pipe in a residential area. They were pulling up and cutting water lines, sanitary sewer lines, etc. with the backhoe on virtually a daily basis.


17 posted on 09/21/2026 2:03:59 PM PDT by IndyTiger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DFG
'This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernize aging infrastructure"
18 posted on 09/21/2026 2:04:02 PM PDT by Skid289 (In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Skid289
Sorry I goofed my last post. "This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernize aging infrastructure" - How about just hiring competent workers instead of a bunch of H1-B Indians and Mexicans?
19 posted on 09/21/2026 2:07:04 PM PDT by Skid289 (In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: lee martell

That Verizon Cable didn’t cut itself, so who did it?
= = =

AI

or

Flock


20 posted on 09/21/2026 2:08:59 PM PDT by Scrambler Bob ( My pronoun is EXIT. Generally full of /S -- Living with Havana Syndrome -infected from Main Stream)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-55 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson