Investing.com -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration temporarily halted flights at several major East Coast airports on Monday following a communications breakdown at an air traffic control facility.

The agency issued ground stops at New York's JFK and LaGuardia airports, as well as Boston's airport, as the situation expanded. Newark and Philadelphia airports also faced temporary flight halts due to communications issues affecting some frequencies at the air traffic control facility.

The FAA administrator said the loss of communications at the Philadelphia facility is prompting significant flight cuts. The agency said a backup fiber line was accidentally cut by a construction crew.

The ground stops affected some of the busiest aviation hubs on the East Coast as the FAA worked to address the telecommunications problem.