Clipped AT&T Internet Wires Near Sacramento International Airport Causes Delays For Southwest And Delta

In what appears to be a case of sabotage, law enforcement officials are investigating an incident of AT&T wires being cut near Sacramento International Airport, disrupting services and leading to long lines of passengers. Southwest and Delta were the airlines most affected by internet outage before things gradually crawled back to normal.

Wires deliberately cut

Police officials are investigating a curious incident of AT&T wires being cut near Sacramento International Airport, affecting the internet supply for at least two major airlines – Southwest and Delta.

According to law enforcement officials, this appears to be a deliberate act, with Amar Gandhi, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, adding that the cables were slashed in a “very precise” and “very targeted” manner.

The cables had a width comparable to a garden hose and were attached to a telephone pole 2.5 miles from the airport. The New York Times quotes Gandhi as saying,

So far, there are no suspects, but police officials are examining video footage from around the area to get any clues. It also remains to be seen whether this was just a random unlawful act or was done specifically to target operations at Sacramento Airport.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Long queues at the airport

Internet outage at Sacramento Airport occurred around 01:15 in the morning, affecting Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines the most. Flights were disrupted for several hours as the outage affected the check-in services of these carriers.

By morning rush hour, passengers could be seen in long queues at the airport waiting for up to two hours. Many had heard about the development and arrived at the airport hours before their scheduled flight just to be safe. ABC10 quotes Melody Kho, a passenger flying to Chicago via Denver, as saying,

“It’s probably moved about an eighth of a mile in an hour. It hasn’t really moved that fast because they’re handwriting tickets and then they’re handwriting the tickets on the plane. If you’re not internet savvy and don’t have it on your phone, you’re going to have a problem trying to show proof

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

By 07:00, Southwest flights had begun departing, although Delta Air Lines said that the outage was still impacting it as of 08:00 but that the disruption was minimal.

Getting bigger and busier

Sacramento International Airport is embarking on an expansion program, adding to its flight network as well as expanding its infrastructure. As such, any disruption like this has a huge impact on its operations. In March, it became the latest airport to deploy biometric technology for passengers traveling on international flights.

The tech allows passengers to proceed through selected departure gates without a passport or boarding pass because their information is stored digitally. Amadeus is providing the technology, and the airport hopes it will help reduce the time for passengers and make operations more efficient.

Photo: Matthew Corley | Shutterstock

In February, the airport also unveiled an improvement program valued at $1.3 billion – the largest in its history. The airport will get an infrastructure boost, such as a new pedestrian walkway that will connect Terminal B with Concourse B, among many other upgrades. The project is expected to be completed in 2027, and those interested in knowing more about it can read Simple Flying’s detailed article below.

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SMForward: The New Airport Improvement Program In Sacramento

The project is valued at $1.3 billion and is the largest expansion project in airport history.

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