A broken water pipe in a privately-run terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport on Sunday that has caused “significant” flight delays and disruptions is being investigated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ).
A pipe supplying water to the sprinkler system in Terminal 4 broke at approximately 2 p.m. As the terminal flooded, power had to be turned off for safety reasons. Domestic arrivals and departures continued after the pipe break with delays, and some international flights have been diverted to other terminals.
“What happened at JFK Airport is unacceptable, and travelers expect and deserve better,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “While the water pipe break that occurred appears to be weather-related, we have launched an investigation into the incident to determine exactly what occurred and why an internal pipe was not weather protected and whether any other failures contributed to this disruption.”
At the time of the water pipe break, seven international flights had already deplaned at Terminal 4 and passengers were processed through customs.
“The Port Authority is committed to providing the highest caliber of service to all travelers and we will hold those responsible accountable for any shortcomings we find,” Cotton said.