RDU: Cut Fiber Line Triggers Two Ground Stops and Hundreds of Delays at Raleigh-Durham

RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C., October 13, 2026 — Two equipment outages on Monday, October 12, forced FAA ground stops at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). A contractor cut a fiber-optic line near the FAA tower during plumbing work, and delays were still being felt on Tuesday morning.

What happened

First stop, late morning: flights were halted for about 20 minutes after the fiber line was cut during a nearby plumbing repair, WRAL reports.
Second stop, 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m.: the FAA called it an “equipment outage,” the day’s second, according to WRAL.
Cause: an RDU spokesperson told ABC11 that a contractor cut the line near the FAA tower. ABC11 reported that the tower was later restored.
Delays and cancellations: ABC11 counted 212 delays and nine cancellations on Monday afternoon, including a flight to Rome. WRAL reported about 261 delays by Monday evening, citing FlightAware.
Diversions: some flights diverted to Richmond and to New Bern, WRAL reports.
Status: WRAL’s Tuesday morning update said repairs were ongoing and passengers were still facing delays. All-clear: TBA.

What it means for non-revs

Check before you go. If the repair is not finished, more stops are possible. Look at the FAA’s airport status page and your flight’s status before leaving home.
Expect fuller flights on Tuesday. Passengers from Monday’s nine cancellations and missed connections are being rebooked, which cuts into open seats.
Charlotte is a fallback. One passenger told ABC11 he was rebooked out of Charlotte (CLT) after his RDU flight was cancelled. It is a long drive, but a possible option if RDU loads look bad.
Allow extra connection time if you are connecting onward from an RDU departure.