Newark, New Jersey — Newark Liberty International Airport continues to grapple with significant flight delays, marking the sixth consecutive day of disruptions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented delays once again on Saturday, attributing them to ongoing staffing shortages. By Saturday afternoon, travelers faced an average delay exceeding three hours for many arriving flights, with FlightAware reporting over 270 delayed flights—approximately 25% of the airport’s scheduled traffic.
The situation escalated on Friday as the FAA’s Ground Delay Program reported average delays of more than two hours for flights destined for Newark. While the FAA has not provided specific information regarding the staffing issues, they have cited this as the cause of disruptions since Monday. That day, equipment failures prompted United Airlines to cancel over 100 flights and reroute 37 others.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby acknowledged the dual challenges posed by technology failures and substantial staff shortages at Newark. Notably, he indicated that more than 20% of the air traffic controllers for the airport had walked off the job. Consequently, United Airlines plans to cancel 35 round-trip flights daily as a necessary measure to safeguard customer interests.
Kirby emphasized that the airport has faced chronic understaffing issues for years, noting a concerning inability to manage the volume of air traffic safely. According to Kirby, the FAA confirmed that without adequate staffing, Newark cannot support the anticipated air traffic in the upcoming months.
Passengers have expressed frustration with the delays. Izabela Olito, who experienced a three-and-a-half-hour delay on her flight from West Palm Beach to Newark, voiced a desire for airlines to communicate flight delays more proactively. “It would help if we were informed in advance so we don’t end up waiting at the airport for several hours,” Olito remarked, advocating for more seasoned personnel in air traffic control.
Further complicating matters, United flight 1909 had to turn back to San Francisco on Monday after issues emerged over Nebraska during its flight to Newark. In response to the ongoing crisis, FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau stated that a team is investigating the technological interruptions contributing to the staffing problems.
On Thursday, the Department of Transportation announced new financial incentives aiming to recruit and retain air traffic controllers amid a national shortage of approximately 3,000 controllers. These incentives include bonuses for prospective controllers completing training, as well as rewards for those filling positions in hard-to-staff facilities.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described current operational strains, cautioning that the FAA must address these systemic weaknesses to prevent future incidents. “We need to identify potential issues early and resolve them before they lead to regrettable events,” he stated.
The delays at Newark are symptomatic of broader challenges facing the airport, particularly as summer travel peaks. In July of last year, the FAA relocated a critical control facility from Long Island to Philadelphia, hoping to attract new hires to the challenging Newark operations.
An analysis of FAA advisories reveals a troubling trend: at least 14 consecutive days of imposed delays for Newark flights. Moreover, ongoing runway rehabilitation efforts further complicate operations, with one of the airport’s primary runways closed until mid-June.
Recent data indicates that on Thursday, roughly one in five flights to or from Newark were canceled, while over 40% of departures and arrivals faced delays. As the summer travel surge approaches, passengers and airlines alike are left to navigate a complex web of operational challenges.