In and out of Newar Liberty International Airport has resulted in many misery, from cancellations last week, delayed in the past five hours late, leading to flight detours that allow travelers to go far from their destination.
Passengers have reported on social media that they have missed flights and are stuck on a plane for hours on a tarmac. Some are still struggling to arrange new trips.
The disruption that spread on Friday with an average of two hours of delays highlights ongoing staffing issues in air traffic control. The issue has prompted United, Newark's largest airline, to cut around three dozen round-trip flights per day from the hub starting this weekend.
Those heading to Newark Airport should know.
Air traffic control staffing limits capacity
Last summer, airspace management surrounding Newark moved from New York to Philadelphia. The move, which includes the relocation of at least 12 air traffic controllers, was intended to facilitate air traffic delays.
The Federal Aviation Administration attributes flight disruptions in Newark this week to equipment failures and unspecified staffing issues at the Philadelphia Air Traffic Control Center, as well as construction on one of Newark's runways.
“We're looking forward to seeing you in the process of getting the most out of our lives,” said Aidan O'Donnell, general manager of New Jersey Airports for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Other major New York City airports, Kennedy and LaGuardia, are managed by the New York Control Center.
One of Newark's runways is closed
One of the airport's three runways was closed on April 15 for rehabilitation and republication, and there were plans to reopen in mid-June.
It was a “very routine construction project,” O'Donnell said, and the airport was extensively prepared during this period by taking measures such as scheduling fewer flights.
The airport has two remaining runways, but the FAA has not fully utilized one of them during the closure, O'Donnell said. “If there is only one runway available, you are landing on the same runway at the same time and leaving. This is the least efficient way to get traffic in and out of Newark,” he added.
The airport has over 1,000 scheduled arrivals and departures daily, mostly operated by United.
The wave of chaos that began on Monday will only intensify.
According to a FAA spokesman, the Philadelphia Control Center experienced telecommunications and equipment issues on Monday. That day led to hundreds of delays and cancellations, and three dozen flight detours, O'Donnell said. He added that no flights departed or landed from Newark for two hours on Monday afternoon.
The confusion continued throughout the week as the shortage of air traffic controllers worsened in Philadelphia. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a letter to clients that more than 20% of Newark's air traffic controllers “resigned from their jobs” this week.
Kirby added that the lack of staffing at the Philadelphia Control Center has been a problem for many years.
A spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association declined to comment.
The problem may last for weeks or months
The next few weeks could be challenging, O'Donnell warned.
As airlines navigate the return of passengers, crews and aircraft back on track, it may take several days for mass flight delays and cancellations to be resolved. Both United and JetBlue Airways have issued flight waivers that allow travelers to rebook without paying additional fees.
Starting this weekend, United will cut 35 of their average 328 round-trip flights per day from the Newark schedule. One of the airline's seven hubs, the airport is an important gateway for flights to Europe, India and the Middle East.
Without sufficient controllers, “Newark Airport will not be able to handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in weeks and months,” Kirby said, adding that flight reductions are a stopping measure “because there is no way to solve the problem of short-term structural FAA staff.”
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