Last week, Newark Liberty International Airport faced significant disruptions that included delays, cancellations, and flight repurposing, stranding hundreds of travelers at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
The chaos escalated on April 28 when air traffic controllers experienced a terrifying 90 seconds without radar and communication, caused by burned-out copper wires. This incident triggered a chain reaction that impacted numerous flights.
Reports indicate that the incident greatly stressed air traffic controllers, with at least five individuals taking up to 45 days of trauma leave due to the suspension.
Much of the turmoil stemmed from various failures, and the FAA has worked to address issues ranging from understaffing at the Philadelphia Air Traffic Control Center to a “rehabilitation project” that will shut down one of Newark’s main runways until mid-June.
Criticism has also been directed at United Airlines for overwhelming smaller airports like Newark while nearby facilities like John F. Kennedy International Airport and others handle a significant portion of flight traffic.
“It’s like a perfect storm,” said Kyle Bailey, a former FAA safety team representative and aviation expert. He noted that Newark Airport, although the size of a major international hub, spans just 2,000 acres and accommodates only two main runways along with a smaller one.
(For comparison, JFK covers nearly 5,000 acres with four runways.)
He added, “The bottom line is that the airport has been notoriously unreliable over the years. It keeps getting worse. It’s a lucrative hub for United, and everyone is pushing for as many flights as they can manage.”
One traveler, caught in the chaos, mentioned he had been at Newark since Saturday after visiting his girlfriend in Toronto. He expressed frustration, saying, “I doubt I’ll use this airport again. It’s stressful, and no one seems to care.”
His flight to Greensboro, North Carolina, had been canceled three times, leaving him to sleep in the terminal until his 9:51 PM departure on Tuesday.
“There’s just no one willing to provide the information you really need,” he noted, referencing his dealings with United Airlines.
In response, United Airlines attributed the disruptions to issues at the airport itself, allowing customers to change routes to avoid Newark without extra charges.
According to a letter from United’s Scott Kirby, the air traffic control center at Newark, which was moved to Philadelphia last summer to alleviate congestion at other nearby airports, is “chronically understaffed.” Kirby also stated that United had removed 35 round-trip flights from Newark’s schedule.
He remarked, “The FAA has indicated that Newark simply cannot accommodate the volume of planes that are scheduled, either now or in the near future.”
Kirby lamented that the reductions in flight schedules at Newark, already under pressure, had to occur for customer safety due to the ongoing FAA staffing crisis.
Even before this announcement, United had been scaling back flights from Newark. Kirby has repeatedly warned about Newark’s ongoing issues for years.
“Newark was the most delayed airport over a decade from 2005 to 2019,” he noted in a letter to the transportation secretary and FAA chief in July 2021.
The FAA has been struggling with staffing shortages for some time now. The agency continues to fall short of its staffing goals and has been relying heavily on mandatory overtime to fill the gaps.
Michael McCormick, a professor specializing in air traffic management, pointed to a sharp decline in the number of controllers since the government shutdown in 2013. Ongoing staff shortages are compounded by the high-pressure nature of the job and mandatory retirement age rules.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association warned that the current staffing levels are the lowest in three decades, cautioning that a failure to resolve these shortages could lead to major operational issues.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced a $5,000 incentive to recruit new controllers, recognizing the staffing crisis as unacceptable.
“We’re starting to see cracks in the system,” Duffy said at a press conference. “Our mission is to identify potential issues and address them before a regrettable incident occurs.”
The FAA acknowledged ongoing challenges due to outdated technology affecting operations and emphasized that air traffic controllers are a specific field that cannot be quickly replenished.
In a recent statement, Duffy highlighted that cuts to FAA staff shortly after President Trump took office have led to long-lasting repercussions that are still felt today.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, during a press conference, called for a thorough investigation into the ongoing issues, placing some blame on leadership decisions that led to significant staff reductions.
Yet, Bailey voiced skepticism about simply attributing the blame to higher-ups, stating, “The people running the show know exactly what’s happening with our controllers. If there were serious cuts being mandated, you’d better believe the Transportation Secretary would be reaching out to Trump.”
