Recent disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport have caused a significant number of flight cancellations and delays. These disruptions have been caused by a combination of technology outages, air traffic controller shortages, and ongoing runway construction.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has acknowledged the issue and is working to improve the situation. This includes implementing software and hardware upgrades and meeting with airline executives to discuss potential solutions. During a Senate hearing on aviation safety, Senator Ted Cruz expressed concerns about the agency’s failure to keep up with technology and staffing needs.
One of the main issues causing disruptions at Newark Airport is staffing shortages. This is not a new problem, as air traffic control facilities nationwide have been struggling with a lack of certified controllers for years. The FAA has reported that there are only 22 certified controllers employed at Newark, which falls short of the target of 38. The agency also employs five supervisors and nearly two dozen trainees. However, it can take over a year to fully train controllers to handle the busy Newark airspace.
In an effort to address the staffing issue, the FAA moved air traffic controllers from Newark to Philadelphia over the summer, hoping to attract more controllers in a more affordable area. However, 16 of these controllers are expected to return to their previous location in Long Island, New York in July 2026.
Another contributing factor to the disruptions at Newark Airport is ongoing runway construction. Since April 15, one of the three runways has been closed, resulting in flight cancellations and delays. This construction is expected to continue through June 15 and resume on weekends from September through the end of the year.
In addition to these issues, there have also been concerns about radar outages at the Philadelphia air traffic control facility. These outages were caused by a telecommunications line failure and have left some controllers feeling overwhelmed and taking time off to recover from the stress. The FAA is working on installing a third telecommunications line and has implemented a software upgrade to prevent future outages.
To help alleviate the situation at Newark Airport, the FAA has proposed a limit on the number of flights allowed per hour. Currently, there are an average of 70 to 80 flights scheduled per hour during peak times. The proposed limit would be 56 flights per hour during construction and 68 flights per hour after the construction is completed. This may have a significant impact on United Airlines, as they operate about 70% of the flights at Newark Airport. However, United’s Chief Commercial Officer, Andrew Nocella, has expressed support for the proposed limit, stating that the most important thing is for flights to be on time.
In the past, Newark Airport’s operations were on par with other major airports in the New York area. However, over the past 12 months, only 77% of departures and 76% of arrivals were on time, compared to 78% and 80% for JFK and LaGuardia airports, respectively.
The FAA is working to address the issues at Newark