Zach Wichter, USA TODAY

May 11, 2025 at 1:30 PM

Newark Liberty International Airport experienced another equipment outage on Sunday, causing delays for travelers and raising concerns about the reliability of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) air traffic control facilities.

The reason for these outages? According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the air traffic control facilities at Newark have been relying on outdated equipment for years. Additionally, a recent relocation of controllers from New York to Philadelphia has required a new information relay, which has been at the center of the outages in recent months. The first outage on April 28 also resulted in a number of air traffic controllers taking medical trauma leave.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed these issues at a press event on Thursday, acknowledging that the neglect of these facilities over the years has resulted in a patchwork of temporary fixes. He also stated that the technology used by controllers is 50 years old and in desperate need of an upgrade.

While Duffy assured travelers that the U.S. airspace remains safe, he also recognized the urgency of addressing these problems as quickly as possible. However, the DOT’s plan to fix these issues will take time, and funding is not yet secure.

In the meantime, airlines are reducing their schedules at Newark as the FAA attempts to manage the airspace with limited resources. This means that airlines, particularly United Airlines which operates a major hub at Newark, will have less flexibility in their schedules.

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