Newark Airport Flight Capacity Cut 20% Amid Radar Outages

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced a significant measure to address recent disruptions in air travel, particularly at Newark Liberty International Airport. The decision to reduce flight capacity at the airport for the next several weeks comes in response to a series of radar outages and other infrastructure issues that have caused substantial flight delays and cancellations over the past two weeks.

The first radar outage occurred on April 28 and was attributed to faulty copper wiring at a Philadelphia-based facility responsible for managing Newark's air traffic. This incident led to significant flight delays and cancellations, underscoring the vulnerabilities in the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure. A second outage followed shortly after, lasting between 60 and 90 seconds, and a third outage on May 9 resulted in 68 flights being canceled and over 400 delays recorded.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been actively working to mitigate these issues by slowing arrivals and departures at Newark due to ongoing runway construction and staffing and technology problems. The agency is also in the process of phasing out the outdated use of paper flight strips to track aircraft, a transition that is expected to be completed at 49 major airports by late 2029. However, these efforts have not been sufficient to prevent the recent incidents.

In response to these challenges, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has committed to collaborating with Congress to secure funding for a comprehensive plan to modernize the nation's air traffic control system. The proposal includes the construction of six new ATC centers, extensive telecom upgrades, and the installation of modern radar and satellite communication infrastructure at over 4,600 locations. Additionally, the FAA plans to expand airport safety systems to reduce runway incidents and near-misses.

The urgency for this overhaul has been underscored by recent safety failures and infrastructure breakdowns. The current system, which still relies on 1970s-era radar and obsolete hardware, has long been criticized for its inefficiencies. The midair crash near Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport earlier this year, which resulted in 67 fatalities, has further emphasized the need for major upgrades to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

Beyond the infrastructure issues, the FAA is also grappling with a staffing crisis. The agency is currently short of approximately 3,500 controllers, with nearly every control tower across the country facing staffing shortages. Despite years of recruitment efforts, the FAA’s controller staffing levels have remained relatively stagnant and are now 10% lower than they were in 2012 due to retirements and the failure of trainees to meet the necessary qualifications.

The recent radar outages have also had a significant impact on air traffic controllers, with multiple controllers taking medical leave due to the traumatic nature of the incidents. The FAA’s guidelines allow controllers who experience such stressful events to take at least 45 days of leave, during which they must undergo evaluations by FAA-approved doctors before returning to work.

In light of these challenges, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has called for immediate, system-wide reform to address the issues at Newark Airport and across the nation's air traffic control system. The reduction in flight capacity at Newark is a temporary measure aimed at ensuring the safety and efficiency of air travel during this period of infrastructure upgrades and staffing challenges. This decision reflects the government's commitment to prioritizing safety and reliability in air travel, even if it means temporary disruptions to flight schedules.