Latest news with #IanPetchenik
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Inside the multi-day meltdown at Newark airport
Air traffic controllers in Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control had been guiding planes to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey last week when communication went down. 'Approach, are you there?' one pilot asked the controller, who had stopped responding. United Airlines flight 1951, flying from New Orleans to Newark, a major hub for the company, tried to radio the controller five times before they got a response. 'United 1951, how do you hear me?' the controller finally asks, according to air traffic control conversations recorded by the website 'I got you loud and clear, United 1951,' the pilot responds. But those 30 seconds of silence when communication went down ultimately cascaded into a weeklong meltdown at Newark, one of the nation's largest airports. It resulted in delays and cancellations for thousands of customers, controllers taking leave for trauma, and renewed scrutiny on an outdated air traffic control system. The chaos also highlighted the challenges of an understaffed air traffic control system, the latest incident in an already turbulent year for aviation that included a deadly collision between a passenger jet and US army helicopter. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Monday traffic controllers had lost the primary communication and the backup line did not immediately take over. Audio obtained by CNN shows the tense moments from the afternoon of April 28. 'United (flight) 674, radar contact lost,' a controller tells a pilot flying to Newark from Charleston, South Carolina. 'We lost our radar so just stay on the arrival and maintain 6000 (feet).' The same flight, traveling at hundreds of miles an hour, returns to the radar but does not show up in an accurate position. The connectivity between Federal Aviation Administration radar and the frequencies that air traffic controllers use to manage planes flying in and out of the airport 'completely failed,' a source with knowledge of the situation said. Without radar, another approach controller told the pilot of a smaller aircraft to rely on towers for clearance. 'Do I have bravo clearance?' the pilot asks. Bravo clearance is permission to enter into the airspace surrounding a larger airport, like Newark Liberty International. 'No, you do not have a bravo clearance. We lost our radar and it's not working correctly. Radar service terminates… If you want a bravo clearance, you can just call the tower when you get closer,' the controller said. About 15 – 20 flights were being controlled by Newark Liberty International Airport approach controllers when communication and radar went down on Monday, April 28, according to an analysis by flight tracking site Flightradar24. The number is based on the altitude of aircraft bound for and departing Newark and audio from the approach radio frequency, Ian Petchenik, the Director of Communications for the site tells CNN. No crashes occurred, but at least five FAA employees took 45 days of trauma leave afterward. The incident has compounded existing staffing shortages and equipment failures and contributed to frustrating hourslong delays for passengers, Duffy told Fox News. More than 150 flights into or out of the airport on Monday were canceled, with more than 350 flights delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. The FAA has indicated it expects delays at the airport to continue due to the staffing shortages. Duffy added that authorities will have to slow traffic at Newark before restoring full capacity. The current shortage of air traffic controllers is nearly the worst in 30 years, said the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which represents 10,800 certified air traffic controllers across the country. The control facility responsible for traffic at Newark has been 'chronically understaffed for years,' United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a Friday message addressing the delays. He also said the shortage was compounded by over 20% of FAA controllers who 'walked off the job' at Newark Airport last week. A CNN analysis of FAA airspace advisories shows at least 14 straight days of FAA-imposed delays for flights to or from Newark. The controller's union said workers did not 'walk off the job.' 'The controllers didn't just walk off the job they were traumatized, their equipment failed,' the source with knowledge of the situation said. 'It's written in the regulations if they experience a traumatic event —they can take time off to go see psychiatrist.. the people working that day did that.' But filling those empty positions is not an issue that can be sorted overnight, according to the FAA. Air traffic control applicants must be less than 31 years old so they can work the mandatory 20 or 25 years needed to qualify for pensions before their mandatory retirement age of 56, according to the FAA. Physical stamina and mental sharpness is also required to do the job. 'While we cannot quickly replace (the controllers) due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace,' the FAA said. Flights arriving to Newark were experiencing an average delay of 4 hours and 54 minutes as of Monday evening. One passenger, Geraldine Wallace, told CNN Sunday she was anxious about the staffing shortage after her flight was delayed for almost three hours. Mark Wallace, her partner, told CNN he was more worried about equipment failures. 'As concerning as the manpower issue is, according to news reports, the equipment that they're using out of Philadelphia is antiquated,' he said. The Department of Transportation will announce a plan Thursday to transform the air traffic control system, remodeling an outdated system that contributed to days of delays at Newark International Airport, Duffy, the transportation secretary, told Fox News on Monday. The system used to manage air traffic at Newark is 'incredibly old,' Duffy said. 'We use floppy disks. We use copper wires,' he said Friday. 'The system that we're using is not effective to control the traffic that we have in the airspace today.' Duffy has since pledged to implement a new, 'state-of-the-art' system at air traffic control facilities across the country that would be the 'envy of the world' – but said it might take three to four years. 'We are going to radically transform the way air traffic control looks,' Duffy told Fox News' Laura Ingraham. President Donald Trump has 'bought into the plan,' he said. Duffy also reiterated that the airspace was still safe. Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, said he wasn't sure he'd want to fly out of Newark for the next 10 days. 'We have a very safe system, but anytime it's stressed like this, where you have controllers who are feeling under maximum pressure, it impacts safety – and people have a right to be concerned,' Goelz told CNN. 'You cannot expect humans to function at their highest level for sustained periods of time with this kind of pressure on them.' CNN's Lauren Mascarenhas, Rene Marsh, Zoe Sottile and Holly Yan contributed to this report.
CNN
06-05-2025
- General
- CNN
Inside the multi-day meltdown at Newark airport
Air traffic controllers in Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control had been guiding planes to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey last week when communication went down. 'Approach, are you there?' one pilot asked the controller, who had stopped responding. United Airlines flight 1951, flying from New Orleans to Newark, a major hub for the company, tried to radio the controller five times before they got a response. 'United 1951, how do you hear me?' the controller finally asks, according to air traffic control conversations recorded by the website 'I got you loud and clear, United 1951,' the pilot responds. But those 30 seconds of silence when communication went down ultimately cascaded into a weeklong meltdown at Newark, one of the nation's largest airports. It resulted in delays and cancellations for thousands of customers, controllers taking leave for trauma, and renewed scrutiny on an outdated air traffic control system. The chaos also highlighted the challenges of an understaffed air traffic control system, the latest incident in an already turbulent year for aviation that included a deadly collision between a passenger jet and US army helicopter. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Monday traffic controllers had lost the primary communication and the backup line did not immediately take over. Audio obtained by CNN shows the tense moments from the afternoon of April 28. 'United (flight) 674, radar contact lost,' a controller tells a pilot flying to Newark from Charleston, South Carolina. 'We lost our radar so just stay on the arrival and maintain 6000 (feet).' The same flight, traveling at hundreds of miles an hour, returns to the radar but does not show up in an accurate position. The connectivity between Federal Aviation Administration radar and the frequencies that air traffic controllers use to manage planes flying in and out of the airport 'completely failed,' a source with knowledge of the situation said. Without radar, another approach controller told the pilot of a smaller aircraft to rely on towers for clearance. 'Do I have bravo clearance?' the pilot asks. Bravo clearance is permission to enter into the airspace surrounding a larger airport, like Newark Liberty International. 'No, you do not have a bravo clearance. We lost our radar and it's not working correctly. Radar service terminates… If you want a bravo clearance, you can just call the tower when you get closer,' the controller said. About 15 – 20 flights were being controlled by Newark Liberty International Airport approach controllers when communication and radar went down on Monday, April 28, according to an analysis by flight tracking site Flightradar24. The number is based on the altitude of aircraft bound for and departing Newark and audio from the approach radio frequency, Ian Petchenik, the Director of Communications for the site tells CNN. No crashes occurred, but at least five FAA employees took 45 days of trauma leave afterward. The incident has compounded existing staffing shortages and equipment failures and contributed to frustrating hourslong delays for passengers, Duffy told Fox News. More than 150 flights into or out of the airport on Monday were canceled, with more than 350 flights delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. The FAA has indicated it expects delays at the airport to continue due to the staffing shortages. Duffy added that authorities will have to slow traffic at Newark before restoring full capacity. The current shortage of air traffic controllers is nearly the worst in 30 years, said the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which represents 10,800 certified air traffic controllers across the country. The control facility responsible for traffic at Newark has been 'chronically understaffed for years,' United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a Friday message addressing the delays. He also said the shortage was compounded by over 20% of FAA controllers who 'walked off the job' at Newark Airport last week. A CNN analysis of FAA airspace advisories shows at least 14 straight days of FAA-imposed delays for flights to or from Newark. The controller's union said workers did not 'walk off the job.' 'The controllers didn't just walk off the job they were traumatized, their equipment failed,' the source with knowledge of the situation said. 'It's written in the regulations if they experience a traumatic event —they can take time off to go see psychiatrist.. the people working that day did that.' But filling those empty positions is not an issue that can be sorted overnight, according to the FAA. Air traffic control applicants must be less than 31 years old so they can work the mandatory 20 or 25 years needed to qualify for pensions before their mandatory retirement age of 56, according to the FAA. Physical stamina and mental sharpness is also required to do the job. 'While we cannot quickly replace (the controllers) due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace,' the FAA said. Flights arriving to Newark were experiencing an average delay of 4 hours and 54 minutes as of Monday evening. One passenger, Geraldine Wallace, told CNN Sunday she was anxious about the staffing shortage after her flight was delayed for almost three hours. Mark Wallace, her partner, told CNN he was more worried about equipment failures. 'As concerning as the manpower issue is, according to news reports, the equipment that they're using out of Philadelphia is antiquated,' he said. The Department of Transportation will announce a plan Thursday to transform the air traffic control system, remodeling an outdated system that contributed to days of delays at Newark International Airport, Duffy, the transportation secretary, told Fox News on Monday. The system used to manage air traffic at Newark is 'incredibly old,' Duffy said. 'We use floppy disks. We use copper wires,' he said Friday. 'The system that we're using is not effective to control the traffic that we have in the airspace today.' Duffy has since pledged to implement a new, 'state-of-the-art' system at air traffic control facilities across the country that would be the 'envy of the world' – but said it might take three to four years. 'We are going to radically transform the way air traffic control looks,' Duffy told Fox News' Laura Ingraham. President Donald Trump has 'bought into the plan,' he said. Duffy also reiterated that the airspace was still safe. Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, said he wasn't sure he'd want to fly out of Newark for the next 10 days. 'We have a very safe system, but anytime it's stressed like this, where you have controllers who are feeling under maximum pressure, it impacts safety – and people have a right to be concerned,' Goelz told CNN. 'You cannot expect humans to function at their highest level for sustained periods of time with this kind of pressure on them.'
CNN
06-05-2025
- General
- CNN
Inside the multi-day meltdown at Newark airport
Air traffic controllers in Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control had been guiding planes to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey last week when communication went down. 'Approach, are you there?' one pilot asked the controller, who had stopped responding. United Airlines flight 1951, flying from New Orleans to Newark, a major hub for the company, tried to radio the controller five times before they got a response. 'United 1951, how do you hear me?' the controller finally asks, according to air traffic control conversations recorded by the website 'I got you loud and clear, United 1951,' the pilot responds. But those 30 seconds of silence when communication went down ultimately cascaded into a weeklong meltdown at Newark, one of the nation's largest airports. It resulted in delays and cancellations for thousands of customers, controllers taking leave for trauma, and renewed scrutiny on an outdated air traffic control system. The chaos also highlighted the challenges of an understaffed air traffic control system, the latest incident in an already turbulent year for aviation that included a deadly collision between a passenger jet and US army helicopter. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Monday traffic controllers had lost the primary communication and the backup line did not immediately take over. Audio obtained by CNN shows the tense moments from the afternoon of April 28. 'United (flight) 674, radar contact lost,' a controller tells a pilot flying to Newark from Charleston, South Carolina. 'We lost our radar so just stay on the arrival and maintain 6000 (feet).' The same flight, traveling at hundreds of miles an hour, returns to the radar but does not show up in an accurate position. The connectivity between Federal Aviation Administration radar and the frequencies that air traffic controllers use to manage planes flying in and out of the airport 'completely failed,' a source with knowledge of the situation said. Without radar, another approach controller told the pilot of a smaller aircraft to rely on towers for clearance. 'Do I have bravo clearance?' the pilot asks. Bravo clearance is permission to enter into the airspace surrounding a larger airport, like Newark Liberty International. 'No, you do not have a bravo clearance. We lost our radar and it's not working correctly. Radar service terminates… If you want a bravo clearance, you can just call the tower when you get closer,' the controller said. About 15 – 20 flights were being controlled by Newark Liberty International Airport approach controllers when communication and radar went down on Monday, April 28, according to an analysis by flight tracking site Flightradar24. The number is based on the altitude of aircraft bound for and departing Newark and audio from the approach radio frequency, Ian Petchenik, the Director of Communications for the site tells CNN. No crashes occurred, but at least five FAA employees took 45 days of trauma leave afterward. The incident has compounded existing staffing shortages and equipment failures and contributed to frustrating hourslong delays for passengers, Duffy told Fox News. More than 150 flights into or out of the airport on Monday were canceled, with more than 350 flights delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. The FAA has indicated it expects delays at the airport to continue due to the staffing shortages. Duffy added that authorities will have to slow traffic at Newark before restoring full capacity. The current shortage of air traffic controllers is nearly the worst in 30 years, said the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which represents 10,800 certified air traffic controllers across the country. The control facility responsible for traffic at Newark has been 'chronically understaffed for years,' United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a Friday message addressing the delays. He also said the shortage was compounded by over 20% of FAA controllers who 'walked off the job' at Newark Airport last week. A CNN analysis of FAA airspace advisories shows at least 14 straight days of FAA-imposed delays for flights to or from Newark. The controller's union said workers did not 'walk off the job.' 'The controllers didn't just walk off the job they were traumatized, their equipment failed,' the source with knowledge of the situation said. 'It's written in the regulations if they experience a traumatic event —they can take time off to go see psychiatrist.. the people working that day did that.' But filling those empty positions is not an issue that can be sorted overnight, according to the FAA. Air traffic control applicants must be less than 31 years old so they can work the mandatory 20 or 25 years needed to qualify for pensions before their mandatory retirement age of 56, according to the FAA. Physical stamina and mental sharpness is also required to do the job. 'While we cannot quickly replace (the controllers) due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace,' the FAA said. Flights arriving to Newark were experiencing an average delay of 4 hours and 54 minutes as of Monday evening. One passenger, Geraldine Wallace, told CNN Sunday she was anxious about the staffing shortage after her flight was delayed for almost three hours. Mark Wallace, her partner, told CNN he was more worried about equipment failures. 'As concerning as the manpower issue is, according to news reports, the equipment that they're using out of Philadelphia is antiquated,' he said. The Department of Transportation will announce a plan Thursday to transform the air traffic control system, remodeling an outdated system that contributed to days of delays at Newark International Airport, Duffy, the transportation secretary, told Fox News on Monday. The system used to manage air traffic at Newark is 'incredibly old,' Duffy said. 'We use floppy disks. We use copper wires,' he said Friday. 'The system that we're using is not effective to control the traffic that we have in the airspace today.' Duffy has since pledged to implement a new, 'state-of-the-art' system at air traffic control facilities across the country that would be the 'envy of the world' – but said it might take three to four years. 'We are going to radically transform the way air traffic control looks,' Duffy told Fox News' Laura Ingraham. President Donald Trump has 'bought into the plan,' he said. Duffy also reiterated that the airspace was still safe. Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, said he wasn't sure he'd want to fly out of Newark for the next 10 days. 'We have a very safe system, but anytime it's stressed like this, where you have controllers who are feeling under maximum pressure, it impacts safety – and people have a right to be concerned,' Goelz told CNN. 'You cannot expect humans to function at their highest level for sustained periods of time with this kind of pressure on them.'
USA Today
21-03-2025
- USA Today
Some flights resume at London's Heathrow after huge fire
Some flights resume at London's Heathrow after huge fire Show Caption Hide Caption Heathrow Airport closes due to fire at electrical substation A fire at an electrical substation near the airport knocked out power, causing major travel disruptions globally. London's Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in the world, closed Friday after a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a power outage. The closure, which is expected to last until 11:59 p.m. British Time on Friday, will likely cause significant disruptions to global flight schedules. Airlines are offering to rebook Heathrow travelers without penalty, but the impact of the closure is expected to last for several days. Some flights at Heathrow Airport in London are resuming after the facility was closed following a fire at a nearby electrical substation that knocked out power to the airport. The airport said in a statement on social media that flight operations will be limited on Friday, but the operators are working to restore the normal schedule for the weekend. "We're now safely able to restart flights, prioritising repatriation and relocation of aircraft. Please do not travel to the airport unless your airline has advised you to do so," the statement said. As the busiest airport in Europe and one of the busiest airfields in the world, Heathrow's closure is likely to affect passengers and flight operations around the globe. Flights disrupted Industry experts warned that some passengers forced to land in Europe may have to stay in transit lounges if they lack the visa paperwork to leave the airport. Global flight schedules will also be affected more broadly, as many aircraft will be out of position. "Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world," said Ian Petchenik, spokesman for flight tracking website FlightRadar24. "This is going to disrupt airlines' operations around the world." Travel experts said the disruption would extend far beyond Heathrow and could have ripple effects past Friday. Airlines' carefully choreographed networks depend on airplanes and crews being in specific locations at specific times. Dozens of carriers will have to hurriedly reconfigure their networks to move planes and crews around. "The other question is, 'What will airlines do to deal with the backlog of passengers?' " said travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt with Atmosphere Research Group. "It's going to be a chaotic couple of days." More: Heathrow Airport in London closed after electrical substation fire cuts power Airlines, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American, Delta, United and JetBlue, are offering to rebook Heathrow travelers without penalty. All impacted travelers should check with their airline before leaving for the airport. According to Cirium, hundreds of arriving and departing flights are likely to be affected on Friday. The aviation data firm said there were 665 departures and 669 arrivals scheduled at Heathrow, and flight tracking website FlightAware shows that 72% of departures and 52% of arrivals have been canceled as of 11:15 a.m. ET. Cirium's data shows that New York-JFK has the most flights to Heathrow on Friday of any global airport, with 21 departures representing 5,387 seats scheduled to fly on that route alone. It will likely take airlines a few days to fully recover their operations, especially British Airways, which uses Heathrow as its main hub. The Metropolitan Police in London said they continue to investigate the incident, though it is no longer being treated as suspicious. "The investigation into the cause of the fire remains in its early stages. After initial assessment, we are not treating this incident as suspicious, although enquiries do remain ongoing," Commander Simon Messinger of the Met Police said in a statement. He added that the department's counterterrorism command continues to lead the investigation because of the location of the substation, the impact of the incident and the unit's specialist resources and capabilities. Contributing: Reuters
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Fire near London Heathrow closes airport. Which Ohio flights are affected? What to know
One of the busiest airports in the world, London Heathrow is closed today following a large fire at a nearby electrical substation that caused a power outage, USA TODAY is reporting. Is this affecting any Ohio flights? Here's what to know. The London Fire Brigade said a transformer within an electrical substation in Hayes in west London was ablaze, USA TODAY reports. Fire crews responded to the scene at about 11:23 p.m. local time on Thursday and worked through the night. By 4:08 a.m. local time Friday, the London Fire Brigade said half of the transformer was still burning. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters responded. About 150 people near the fire were evacuated and authorities set up a 200-meter cordon as a precaution, Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in a statement. A Heathrow Airport spokesperson told USA TODAY that there is no clarity on when power will restored, and that the airport expects significant disruption over the coming days. According to flight arrivals and departures listed online, there's a British Airways flight from Heathrow arriving at 8:50 p.m. today at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. A flight bound for London will depart at 10:50 p.m. tonight. Both are listed as "on time." No other flights from Ohio's major airports to London were listed. "Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world," Ian Petchenik, a spokesperson for flight tracking website FlightRadar24, told Reuters. "This is going to disrupt airlines' operations around the world." According to FlightRadar24, scores of flights were already being diverted to other airports. Some flights from the U.S. were turning around mid-air and returning to their point of departure. Heathrow is located in the west London suburban borough of Hounslow, roughly 18 miles from Central London. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Fire shuts down London Heathrow. Are Ohio flights impacted?
