Ground stop lifted at PHL, but major delays expected to continue following equipment outage
6abc Philadelphia • • business
Key Points:
- A ground stop at Philadelphia International Airport was lifted Monday evening after an equipment outage caused significant flight delays, with an average delay of 212 minutes reported around 5 p.m.
- The outage was caused by a blown circuit at the Philadelphia TRACON air traffic control facility, and a backup fiber optic line was also found to be cut at a New Jersey construction site.
- The disruption affected flights at Philadelphia, Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports, leading to widespread delays and a second ground stop issued by the FAA during the day.
- Some airlines allowed passengers to change flights without fees, and the FAA advised travelers to check flight statuses before going to the airport.
- FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated efforts are underway to restore the primary circuit and repair the backup line, but the timeline for full restoration remains uncertain.
