Newark Airport faces major travel chaos amid staffing crisis, United Airlines slashes 35 daily flights; ‘It is not safe'

Hindustan Times

04-05-2025

An air traffic controller issued a warning on Friday that there is a staffing shortfall at Newark Liberty International Airport, making it risky for travelers.
'It is not safe,' stated MSNBC correspondent Tom Costello. After speaking with the air traffic controller, Costello remarked, 'It is not a safe situation right now for the flying public.' He called the declaration 'really an incredible statement, unsolicited.' 'Don't fly into Newark. Avoid Newark at all costs,' he added, as per Daily Beast.
The Federal Aviation Administration stated that a lack of air traffic controllers was responsible for the delays in flights to and from the crowded airport just outside of New York City.
In a statement, the United Airlines addressed the issue after announcing that it will be discontinuing 35 of its daily flights from Newark starting this weekend.
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, noted that over 20% of the airport's operators had 'walked off the job.'
'Keep in mind, this particular air traffic control facility has been chronically understaffed for years and without these controllers, it's now clear—and the FAA tells us—that Newark airport cannot handle the number of planes that are scheduled to operate there in the weeks and months ahead,' Kirby continued.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged more Americans to work as air traffic controllers during a press conference on Thursday. He revealed fresh rewards for doing so, including a $5,000 bonus for graduates of the academy.
'You're starting to see cracks in the system. It's our job to actually see over the horizon what the issues are and fix it before there is an incident that we will seriously regret,' Duffy said.
It has long been difficult to find competent candidates for the demanding, high-pressure, long-hour position of air traffic controller. However, as the Trump administration has rocked the federal government in recent months, the situation has escalated.
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According to The New York Times, Duffy allegedly accused Elon Musk's staff at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of attempting to remove FAA air traffic controllers during a closed-door Cabinet meeting in March. However, Musk denied the allegations.
In an effort to alleviate the country's controller deficit, the Trump administration claims to have been working to 'supercharge' the air traffic controller staff. Duffy proposed a plan Thursday to encourage current controllers to stay in their positions and hire new ones.
At the time, the workers' union National Air Traffic Controllers Association stated that while those actions would help with shortages of staff, the system is "long overdue for technology and infrastructure upgrades."