FAA Cuts 25% of Flights at Newark Airport Amid Controller Shortage and Runway Construction
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a significant reduction in flight operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) due to ongoing air traffic controller shortages and runway construction projects that have caused widespread delays.
Effective immediately, the FAA is capping arrivals and departures at 56 flights per hour while runway renovations are in progress. Construction is scheduled to run daily through June 15, and on Saturdays only through the end of the year. Outside of construction periods, 68 total operations per hour will be permitted until October 25.
“Our goal is to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public from excessive flight delays due to construction, staffing challenges, and recent equipment issues, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System,” said Acting FAA Administrator Christopher Rocheleau.
Prior to the construction start on April 15, Newark was handling up to 77 hourly operations. The FAA had asked airlines to voluntarily reduce that number to 70 during the day and 62 during peak afternoon and evening hours. The new mandatory reduction follows a three-day delay reduction summit in Washington, D.C., involving airline representatives, the FAA, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The FAA emphasized that it may adjust these limits depending on system capacity, stating it will reassess if “capacity exists to accommodate more flights without a significant increase in delays, or that further flight reductions are necessary.”
Newark has faced compounding challenges beyond construction, including a critical staffing shortfall and telecommunications disruptions. The air traffic control facility responsible for EWR operations currently has 24 certified professional controllers, well below its target of 38, representing a staffing rate of just 63%.
Operational safety was further impacted on April 28, when the facility experienced a 30-second radio communications blackout and a 90-second radar failure during a busy period. Five air traffic controllers have since taken trauma leave, and additional outages have occurred since.
To address the situation, the FAA announced plans to:
- Install three new high-bandwidth telecommunications lines
- Replace outdated copper wiring
- Accelerate staffing efforts at the Newark control facility
Travelers flying in or out of Newark can expect continued delays as these mitigation efforts roll out over the coming months.
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