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Newark Airport Flight Restrictions to Remain in Place Through June

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Flights in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport will be capped at 28 arrivals and departures per hour, following a series of technical problems and staffing shortages, which have led to hundreds of cancellations and delays. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken steps to address the issues, including software updates and new fiber optic lines, but a long-term fix to replace the aging radar system is expected to take months.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FAA will continue to cap flights at Newark Airport at 28 arrivals and departures per hour until mid-June, when a runway construction project is expected to be completed.
  • The limit might be increased to 34 arrivals and 34 departures an hour in mid-June, depending on the return of controllers on leave and the completion of the runway project.
  • The FAA has implemented a software update and new fiber optic lines to help prevent technical outages, but a new radar system is expected to take months to install.
  • The aging infrastructure of the air traffic control system remains a concern, and officials have called for a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the system.
  • The airlines that fly out of Newark will likely have to cut their schedules to match the flights per hour limit, leading to fewer cancellations and delays.
  • The airport has seen a series of technical outages, including a 90-second loss of radar and communications systems on April 28 and May 9, and a two-second loss of radio communications on Monday.
  • The FAA has lost up to seven controllers to trauma leave due to stress caused by the outages, leading to staffing shortages and further delays.
  • The air traffic control system nationwide is in need of an overhaul, with officials calling for a multibillion-dollar plan to upgrade the aging infrastructure.
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced a plan to upgrade the air traffic control system, backed by $12.5 billion in the House version of a broader transportation bill.

Statistics:

  • 28: the number of arrivals and departures per hour at Newark Airport, capped by the FAA since the technical outages began.
  • 34: the number of arrivals and departures per hour that the limit might be increased to in mid-June, depending on the return of controllers on leave.
  • 38-39: the number of flights per hour that typically took off and landed at Newark before the technical problems began.
  • 2-7: the number of controllers lost to trauma leave due to stress caused by the outages.
  • 90 seconds: the length of time that the radar and communications systems failed on April 28 and May 9.
  • $12.5 billion: the amount of funding included in the House version of a broader transportation bill to upgrade the air traffic control system.

Sources:

  • "FAA to Keep Newark Flight Limits in Place Through June" by Josh Funk, The Associated Press, May 21, 2025.
  • "Newark Airport Sees Fourth Air Traffic Control Outage in 3 Weeks" by Josh Funk, The Associated Press, May 21, 2025.
  • "Transportation Secretary Announces Plan to Upgrade Air Traffic Control System" by Josh Funk, The Associated Press, May 21, 2025.
  • "FAA Takes Steps to Address Technical Problems at Newark Airport" by Josh Funk, The Associated Press, May 21, 2025.

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