SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Three international flights diverted to Syracuse on Monday, Sept. 21, after a communications failure disrupted air traffic around Newark Liberty International Airport. The planes, originally bound for Newark, arrived from Paris and Ireland, according to WSYR-TV’s local report. The unexpected arrivals show how a problem at a major hub can quickly reach Central New York.
What happened at Syracuse Hancock?
WSYR-TV reported that one of the three flights had departed Paris, while the other two came from Ireland. All three were headed to Newark. A flight tracking record for United Flight 55 identifies a Paris to Newark flight diverted to Syracuse on Sept. 21. The local report includes accounts from travelers who had expected to land in New Jersey.
“The flight was fine. It was comfortable. It was great and then all of a sudden we’re landing in Syracuse,” passenger Jeanna Barbet told WSYR-TV. Her account describes the abrupt change from the cabin. It does not establish when passengers on every diverted flight were able to continue to Newark.
For readers planning a trip through Newark, the immediate point is simple: a diversion changes where a plane lands, but it does not by itself settle how passengers will complete the rest of their journey. Travelers should use the airline’s flight updates for any revised itinerary.
Why did flights divert?
The diversions came during a broader disruption to air traffic across the Northeast. The Associated Press reported that the primary communications line at an FAA facility in Philadelphia failed and a backup fiber optic line was severed during construction work. The combined failure affected controllers’ radar and communications and prompted restrictions at major airports, including Newark…