The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily suspended flights at several major airports on the U.S. East Coast on Monday after a disruption in the communications system of the air traffic control center.
The agency imposed a ban on departures from New York airports John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia, as well as from Boston’s airport. As the situation evolved, temporary flight restrictions due to communications problems affecting several air traffic control frequencies also reached the airports of Newark and Philadelphia.
FAA said that the loss of contact with the Philadelphia air traffic control center would lead to a significant reduction in the number of flights. According to the agency, the backup fiber-optic line was accidentally damaged by a construction crew.
Departure bans affected some of the busiest aviation hubs on the East Coast while the FAA worked to fix a telecommunications malfunction.