Newark Liberty International Airport is operating with just three air traffic controllers per hour instead of the required 14, putting travelers at risk and causing delays of up to seven hours.
Quick Takes
- A critical shortage of air traffic controllers at Newark is causing massive flight delays of up to seven hours.
- The Philadelphia facility that manages Newark’s airspace has only 22 fully certified controllers when many more are needed.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced plans to reduce flights at Newark for several weeks to ensure safety.
- Recent communications blackouts have further complicated air traffic management at the airport.
- Duffy has proposed raising the mandatory retirement age for controllers from 56 to 61 to address nationwide staffing shortages.
Critical Staffing Crisis Threatens Airport Operations
Newark Liberty International Airport is facing a severe shortage of air traffic controllers that threatens to cripple one of America’s busiest transportation hubs. According to Federal Aviation Administration reports, only three controllers per hour are monitoring Newark’s airspace instead of the 14 typically required for safe operations. This staffing crisis has directly contributed to flight delays reaching up to seven hours, frustrating thousands of travelers and raising serious questions about the airport’s ability to maintain normal operations under these conditions.
The staffing shortage comes at a particularly challenging time for Newark, which is already dealing with runway construction and technological issues. Making matters worse, the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which manages flight traffic in the broader airspace around the airport, was relocated from Long Island to Philadelphia last summer – a move that has evidently created additional complications. The Philadelphia facility currently operates with just 22 fully certified controllers, 5 supervisors, and 21 controllers still in training.
NYT: Newark Airport had 3 controllers on duty when the goal Is 14 https://t.co/kB1PWRZ0NS
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) May 13, 2025
Safety Measures and Flight Reductions
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced plans to reduce the number of flights at Newark, particularly during peak international arrival times, for several weeks. While this will create additional inconvenience for travelers, Duffy emphasized that safety must take priority over convenience. The FAA has implemented traffic management initiatives to ensure that operations can continue safely even with minimal staffing. These measures include slowing down the rate of arrivals and departures to match the available controller capacity.
According to experts, staffing shortages in air traffic control typically result in traffic slowdowns rather than immediate safety threats. However, the cumulative effect of understaffing, equipment failures, and increased workload creates a concerning situation. John Hansman from MIT has noted that while the current arrangements can maintain safety, they do so at the significant cost of operational efficiency, leading to the extensive delays that passengers are experiencing.
Communications Blackouts Compound Problems
Further complicating Newark’s operations, the airport has experienced three communications blackouts recently, affecting the control tower’s ability to track or communicate with planes. During these outages, controllers temporarily lost radar contact and radio communications with aircraft in their airspace, creating potentially dangerous situations. The FAA briefly slowed aircraft operations during these incidents to ensure system redundancies were functioning properly. These outages have been linked to outdated copper wiring at the Philadelphia TRACON facility, with plans now in place to replace them with more reliable fiber optic lines.
Duffy has been critical of the previous administration’s handling of the transfer of air traffic control responsibilities from Long Island to Philadelphia, suggesting that poor planning contributed to the current situation. He has described the national air traffic control system as “antiquated” and announced plans for a comprehensive overhaul. This would include new data connections, radar replacements, and other modern technologies to create a more resilient system less prone to the types of failures currently plaguing Newark.
Addressing the National Controller Shortage
The problems at Newark reflect a broader national shortage of air traffic controllers that has affected staffing goals at airports across the country for years. The FAA is currently short approximately 3,000 controllers nationwide. To address this critical gap, Secretary Duffy has proposed raising the mandatory retirement age for air traffic controllers from 56 to 61, potentially keeping experienced personnel in the system longer. This measure would provide immediate relief while the FAA works to recruit and train new controllers, a process that typically takes several years.
Some controllers have reportedly taken time off due to stress related to the difficult working conditions, further exacerbating the staffing crisis. The combination of increased workload, equipment failures, and the pressure of maintaining safety with minimal staffing has created a high-stress environment. Despite these challenges, the controllers who remain on duty continue to prioritize safety above all else, working diligently to ensure that flights can continue to operate, albeit with significant delays.
Sources:
As few as 3 radar controllers monitored Newark’s airspace Monday night, FAA says
As few as 3 radar controllers monitored Newark’s airspace Monday night, FAA says
Newark airport had three air traffic controllers on duty instead of 14
