Aerospace Global News
Charlotte Bailey
07 May 2025
A ‘perfect storm’ of outdated technology, controller staffing shortages and ageing infrastructure are continuing to adversely impact Newark airport. Now, days after United Airlines pulled 35 roundtrips a day from its Newark schedule, the FAA is to formally slow the rate of arrivals as it continues to address a deepening crisis.
As the FAA looks to increase controller staffing and implement modern technological assets at Newark Liberty International Airport, the regulator is to “ensure safety by slowing the rate of arrivals into the airport” as it continues to “work through these issues”. “The FAA has been slowing arrivals and departures at [the airport] due to runway construction at Newark and staffing and technology issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport,” wrote the regulator on 7 May.
The announcement comes some five days after the airport acknowledged its flights “continue to be disrupted due to FAA staffing shortages, with delays [averaging four hours, but as high as seven] and cancellations expected to continue throughout the day”. This is recurring theme in recent months which has seen both FAA staffing and construction issues case ongoing issues.
Read on: Ongoing ATC situation crippling Newark Liberty International Airport
