A widespread telecommunications failure Friday afternoon forced Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers in Dallas to lose radar and key communications, halting flights at both Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Dallas Love Field airports. Operations began resuming after 3:30 p.m. CT and were back to normal by Saturday, the FAA said.
Cut Fiber Cables Behind the Failure
American Airlines reported the disruption stemmed from “two cut fiber optic cables,” crippling radar and data systems. The FAA confirmed “multiple failures” in the local telecom provider’s service and said a contractor failed to ensure system redundancies.
Controllers Left Without Radar or Phones
“We’ve lost all radar and phone communications,” a Love Field controller said in recorded audio. Pilots and controllers described a near-total blackout as departures across the Metroplex were halted.
Flights Canceled and Delayed
By Friday evening, FlightAware counted more than 430 cancellations and 580 delays at DFW, plus 190 delays at Love Field. American Airlines, with its hub at DFW, canceled over 530 flights Friday and another 160 Saturday, affecting more than 100,000 customers. Southwest Airlines reported minimal cancellations but offered flexible rebooking.
Frustrated Passengers
Travelers described long lines and missed connections. “We just kept getting delayed, delayed,” said passenger Krysta Wagner. Others abandoned travel plans altogether or scrambled to rebook in time for connecting trips and cruises.
Calls for Modernization
The FAA called the outage “a clear example of the FAA’s outdated infrastructure,” urging Congress to fund a modern air traffic control system. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has proposed a multibillion-dollar overhaul, warning that such failures could persist without major upgrades.
Ripple Effects Beyond Dallas
The incident follows similar telecom-related disruptions earlier this year in the Northeast, highlighting vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging aviation communication network.
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