In recent weeks, technical failures of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) equipment and a significant staffing shortage among air traffic controllers have caused hundreds of delays and cancellations at Newark-Liberty International Airport.
To address the situation, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced an ambitious plan to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system. Although no official budget has been provided at this time, industry officials estimate that some $31 billion will be needed to upgrade infrastructure and hire qualified personnel.
“What’s happening in Newark is in danger of repeating itself at other airports around the country,” Duffy said last Sunday during Meet the Press. “This is a situation that needs to be urgently addressed.”
Operational difficulties have reignited the debate over the technological obsolescence of the U.S. air traffic management system, which has long been under pressure from limited resources and structural deficiencies.
Maintenance work on the runway is also contributing to the problem, limiting the airport’s operational capacity just as it prepares for the busy summer season, usually marked by increased flights and air traffic.
Meanwhile, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, the company that owns more than 67 percent of operations at the airport, announced a voluntary reduction in its schedule, cutting 35 flights. Kirby stressed that further cuts will likely be necessary to ensure smooth operations. “During bad weather, technical problems or staff shortages, runways, taxiways and airspace quickly become congested, causing real traffic jams,” the executive explained.
There are currently no official indications of diversions to other airports. However, it is plausible that some flights may be rescheduled to other nearby airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA), to ease congestion in Newark. Airlines may also revise their routes and schedules to accommodate the situation, but no changes have been announced as of this writing.
