Sacramento International Airport (SMF) experienced significant disruptions early Thursday morning due to a deliberate act of vandalism targeting AT&T internet lines servicing the airport. The outage, which was first reported around 5 a.m., affected internet and wireless services, causing delays in flight operations, particularly for Southwest and Delta airlines.
Repair crews swiftly responded to the outage and identified that the internet lines had been deliberately cut, indicating an act of vandalism or attempted theft. AT&T, in a statement addressing the incident, confirmed the malicious nature of the damage and expressed appreciation for the patience of affected customers during the repair process.
Despite the challenges posed by the outage, Southwest Airlines managed to resume departures shortly before 7 a.m., followed by Delta Airlines, which saw a return to normal operations shortly thereafter.
However, it wasn't until 11:35 a.m. that full internet service was restored at the airport, alleviating the disruptions that had impacted ticketing counters and other critical operations throughout the morning.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the incident to identify the perpetrators behind this deliberate act of disruption. Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward and assist in the investigation.
