Flights resume after ground stops at major U.S. airports, including New York's JFK and LaGuardia
A major FAA telecom line failure caused an eight-hour ground stop across several U.S. airports, disrupting travel for thousands of passengers and world leaders attending the UN General Assembly. Operations have since resumed, though officials warn of lingering delays.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical national infrastructure and its cascading effects on international travel and diplomacy.
The issue started around 9:45 a.m. ET when workers accidentally cut a telecom line in New Jersey used by the FAA. This forced a halt to incoming flights at major airports, on a day when 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 stopped arrivals at all three major New York-area airports as well as Philadelphia and Boston, and two smaller airports in the New York region. The problems were not fully resolved for eight hours.
Prime Minister Mark Carney was among the leaders whose flights were affected. His office said his planned flight into New York Monday evening was delayed, meaning he would not make it to a scheduled event. His office later said he arrived Monday night.
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