The FAA says equipment failures halted operations at Newark Liberty (EWR) and Philadelphia International with no timeline to resume. The outage coincided with more than 400 cancellations nationwide and over 4,000 delays, with Newark reporting 280+ canceled flights. FAA officials said a circuit failed at a Philadelphia control facility and the backup line was later found cut at a New Jersey construction site, forcing temporary ground stops and flight diversions.
FAA Equipment Outage Halts Flights at Newark (EWR) and Philadelphia — Hundreds Canceled, Thousands Delayed
Smith Collection/gado/Gado via Getty Images - PHOTO: Multiple United Airlines jets are visible on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, June 6, 2026.
Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Philadelphia International Airport were halted Monday after an equipment outage at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility, leaving no estimated time for service to resume.
What Happened
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said a circuit 'blew' at an air-traffic control facility in Philadelphia. When the backup system engaged, technicians discovered the backup communication line had been severed at a construction site in New Jersey, compounding the disruption.
Immediate Impact
More than 400 flights were canceled nationwide and over 4,000 flights were delayed on Monday. Newark was hardest hit, reporting more than 280 cancellations. Airspace restrictions briefly expanded to include New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) while crews worked on the problem; those airports have since reopened.
Ongoing Disruptions
Officials said an attempted replacement of the damaged Philadelphia circuit did not succeed, so operations at Philadelphia and Newark remained suspended with no ETA for resumption. Some inbound flights were diverted to alternate airports as carriers rerouted aircraft and passengers.
Airlines Respond
United Airlines, which operates a hub at Newark, said the 'FAA technology outage is affecting all airlines in the Northeast.' The carrier added that flights destined for Newark were either held at departure airports or diverted, and that it has issued a travel waiver to give customers greater flexibility.
This is a developing story; updates will follow as officials and carriers provide more information. ABC News' Jason Volack contributed to this report.
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