Staffing shortages and air traffic congestion led to last year’s relocation of the Newark, NJ, airspace from New York City area air traffic control to Philadelphia. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the time said the change will help “meet continued traffic demand in the busy Northeast Corridor.”
Fast forward about exactly one year and the situation at Newark Liberty International Airport is worse than any time in recent history and there doesn’t seem to be any immediate fix on the horizon. Four times in the past month—most recently on Monday and previously on May 11 and 9 and April 28—a telecommunications outage occurred between the Philadelphia air traffic control tower and all flights at the airport. In the May 9 incident, the outage lasted 90 seconds. Fortunately, all planes remained safely separated each time.
Concern around air travel safety has seemingly skyrocketed this year, following several fatal crashes—including the deadliest commercial aviation incident in the U.S. since 2001, taking place at near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and killing 67— and multiple other runway accidents. While there have not been any crashes at Newark, concerns are mounting.
All of this, too, is coupled with the ongoing runway construction at the airport, not only leading to canceled flights but lengthy delays.
Is Newark Really That Bad?
While Newark is hardly the only airport in the nation that’s suffering from staffing shortages and flight delays, much of the attention and concern it’s getting is warranted. Case in point: I was planning to fly from Newark to Orlando last week for a vacation with some friends. Once I saw that my airline was offering a waiver for travel into and out of Newark, I had us all change our flights to one out of and into LaGuardia. This all came after our initial flights had been pushed back two hours by the airline soon after our booking several months back. Our flight from LaGuardia left on time and all was good. Once we landed in Orlando, I checked on the status of the flight we had booked from Newark: canceled.
Now, that’s just one specific situation and, sure, it could have happened at any airport but in this instance, it seems like one more piece of support that traveling to and from Newark will be very tricky this summer.
(Photo by Luxury Travel Advisor/Carlos Meneses)
To gain some additional intel, I spoke with Amanda Klimak, president and co-owner of Largay Travel. She noted that the situation at the airport is “hypersensitive” and that Largay’s advisors are trying to be proactive whenever they have clients flying into or out of Newark.
Given that most airlines that operate from Newark have issued waivers to allow passengers to change their flights at no cost, that’s probably the best option. But Klimak says that it all begins with a conversation with their clients and letting them know what options they have.
“We’re checking and watching our records very carefully. So, when we see that there’s going to be a challenge for them, we’re offering them assistance,” said Klimak. “And, then, if they want to reroute to a different airport—Philadelphia, LaGuardia, JFK—we could certainly work with the airlines to do what they need.”
She also explained that while flights may be delayed or canceled, the airport, airlines and government are doing so with the safety of travelers in mind. “One of the things we’re trying to do is reach out to our clients in advance to just talk to them about it, because I think that lack of confidence that the best decisions are going to be made to ensure traveler safety is something that we just have to remind them is always the first and utmost important thing,” Klimak said.
So, yes, a canceled flight will certainly throw a wrench into any travel plans you have but the alternative could be much worse. That being said, Klimak does expect lots of canceled flights this summer from Newark. “The airlines are going to always do what’s in the client’s best interest to ensure safety. So, they’ll just cut back the schedules—and I think that’s what we’re going to see this summer.”
Sometimes these cancelations will come well in advance, others at the last minute, explained Klimak, “but we’re providing the information for the travelers and then letting them make the decision based on information.”
Flights into or out of Newark from regional airports may be the most affected as they have a more limited number of routes operating daily. One delay or cancelation could have a much larger impact at these airports.
To best avoid delays or cancelations, Klimak recommends booking the first available flight each day. “What I would suggest is, if at all possible, take the first flight in the morning because it gives you more possibility to make up time. And I think that’s always a good idea,” she said.
Klimak also said that situations like this make it even more important to buy travel insurance, which can help afford any expenses due to delayed or canceled flights or missed connections.
Will the Issues End Anytime Soon?
The short answer is no. Just yesterday, the FAA issued an interim order reducing the flight arrival and departure rate at Newark, limiting the hourly rate to 28 arrivals and departures through June 15 as construction is completed. From that date through October 25, the number of hourly arrival and departures will increase to 34.
Looking at the long-term, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on May 8 announced an initiative to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system. The plan, according to the U.S. Travel Association, “would address long-standing challenges in the aviation system by advancing vital new technologies and requesting increased federal investment to ensure timely implementation.”
As part of the plan, the FAA will replace core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to manage the almost 3 million air passengers that travel each day. Critically, U.S. Travel added, Congress is considering legislation that provides a $12.5 billion down payment to support the plan. That said, many of these objectives have a completion date between 2027 and 2028, meaning there likely won’t be any quick fixes on the horizon.
Commenting on the situation, Klimak added, “I do think Newark has more challenges than most airports, but I think air traffic control and the FAA has some very, very big issues that need to be dealt with as far as the system is concerned,” adding, “it’s a big situation that needs to be addressed, and it’s long overdue.”
Beyond modernizing the air traffic control system, U.S. Travel is advocating for upgrading America’s airports and the overall traveler experience. Without these changes, the association says the U.S. will be severely unprepared for the upcoming decade of “mega events,” including the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, not to mention the U.S.’s 250th anniversary celebrations next year.
At the same time, however, the Trump Administration has incentivized non-air traffic controllers to resign. According to Government Executive, 2,700 employees are planning to opt into the “deferred resignation program.” Although not ATC workers, the FAA still relies on them to function and to oversee the National Airspace System effectively.
For the latest FAA statements on Newark Liberty International Airport, visit www.faa.gov.
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