The issues with Newar Liberty International Airport continue. On Monday there was a shortage of staff at air traffic control facilities serving the airport.
Most flights headed to Newark were over an hour and 40 minutes late at noon on Monday due to too few air traffic controllers. The Federal Aviation Administration also expected a shortage of controllers in Newark for around four hours on Monday night, according to an advisory posted online.
In a separate recommendation, the FAA said it would delay incoming flights to Newark from all US airports and some Canada for up to seven hours. It's not uncommon to hold incoming flights at the original airport, but it can have a cascade impact on flights around the world.
Monday's delay was the latest in a series of setbacks in Newark, one of the busiest airports in the country and United Airlines' big hub. On Friday, Philadelphia's air traffic control facility leading airport planes had a short radar outage. A similar outage later last month prevented the controller from communicating with the pilot for about 30 seconds.
The outage followed months of glitches and other issues rattles on the afternoon of Monday, April 28th, rattles the controllers managing Newark's airspace. The FAA hopes that by moving the job from a facility on Long Island in New York to a more affordable area last summer, it will help hire more controllers.
As of March 2024, only 59% of the controller roles available at air traffic control facilities that handled flights at Newark, Lagardia Airport, Kennedy International Airport and other New York Airports were met before Newark's responsibility moved to Philadelphia.
The recent outages have been caused by software and hardware issues. This, combined with staffing restrictions and runway construction, has contributed to long delays in Newark in recent weeks, shaking faith in the airport among travelers.
Melissa Rodriguez in Bayonne, New Jersey is closer to other airports in the area, so he regularly flies from Newark. However, she is considering using other New York Regional Airports after chaperone a cheerleading team that landed in Newark on Monday.
“Everyone was late or the flight was cancelled and this was going both ways,” Rodriguez added, adding, “They were very unhappy.”
Rodriguez, 46, said he looked into flights arriving at Kennedy or LaGuardia as backup. “We have to look at Plans A, B, C and D because we have all the issues with Newark.”
In an email Monday, United CEO Scott Kirby tried to reassure customers, saying every flight to Newark is “absolutely safe.”
“If there are FAA issues such as technology outages or shortages, the FAA requires that all airlines fly fewer aircraft to maintain the highest level of safety,” he said.
At a press conference Monday, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said the previous halt was caused by an outdated backup communications line that was overwhelmed when the primary line failed.
“We're trying to slow down the 1980 equipment to the 1990 speed,” he said.
To reduce delays, Duffy said he plans to reduce the number of flights at the airport. The department is expected to meet with airline executives on Wednesday to discuss it in the best way. United, which operates about two-thirds of its flights in Newark, is cutting back on what's already flying there.
Duffy said the FAA installed software updates on Friday to prevent future outages and planned infrastructure upgrades, including new fiber optic cables connecting the Philadelphia airport and facilities.
At a press conference, Duffy repeatedly tried to condemn the Biden administration, saying he “packed” the move from New York last summer. He also said he asked department inspectors to investigate the transition to Philadelphia.
“Commander Duffy has a tough job, but we need to spend more time doing what Americans are paying for him – we're solving the issues and denouncing other people,” a spokesman for Duffy's predecessor, Pete Battigigue, in a statement.
When asked if controllers from other air traffic hubs across the country could be moved to Philadelphia, Duffy said it would take at most a year to train controllers on managing new airspace. The average time to prove a complex airspace controller is 2.5 years.
At the press conference, FAA representative manager Chris Rocheroux also emphasized the safety of flights at the airport. He said starting Monday, the agency has convened a task force to address issues that involve representatives from the FAA and technology and communications contractors.
Mark Bonamo and Tim Burke contributed to the report.
