Flights grounded after mistaken cable-cutting brings down air traffic control system

Freya Scott-Turner

Live reporter

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Images Image caption, File photo of New York City's LaGuardia Airport

It's been a manic Monday for multiple airports across the northeastern US, after an equipment issue delayed hundreds of flights. Major airports in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and New Jersey were among those affected.

The problem? A malfunction of a system which guides planes during take-off and landing, called the Terminal Radar Approach Control System.

Aviation administrator Bryan Bedford said that a circuit had failed, and the system went down because a backup cable had been damaged by a construction crew in New Jersey.

The travel chaos has come on the eve of the United Nationals General Assembly, which will see more than 130 officials from around the world jet into New York.

There are signs of improvement, with flights starting to resume at New York's LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia Airport, but delays remain.

Duffy said the incident "underscores the need for additional funding" to modernise "ageing infrastructure".

Meanwhile, telecommunications company Verizon said it was "actively working" to repair the cable restore connectivity, but Bedford warned of a lengthy repair process that could take as long as 13 hours.