A contractor’s damage to a fibre-optic cable at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday evening triggered significant delays and an FAA ground stop, while a separate partial power outage disrupted airline processing at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The incidents affected arriving, departing and connecting passengers, including international travellers, but both airports reported restored or largely normal operations by Wednesday.
At Houston, the FAA restriction on flights bound for IAH ran from approximately 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The cable damage also temporarily lengthened processing times for international arrivals, although customs wait times returned to normal later that evening. Houston Airports reported that operations were returning to normal at about 9:15 p.m., and repairs were completed overnight. No continuing operational impact was reported on Wednesday morning, although passengers were advised to confirm flight status with their airlines. The airport did not publish a total number of delayed or cancelled flights.
At Austin, the partial outage affected portions of the Barbara Jordan Terminal from about 5:18 p.m. until shortly after 8 p.m. Airline ticket counters and other processing systems were disrupted, prompting schedule adjustments for some arriving and departing flights. TSA screening and baggage claim remained operational. Austin Energy and airport crews restored power, while the cause remained under investigation. Officials did not provide a complete disruption count or immediately identify any cancellations.