Latest news with #NewarkLiberty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
FAA Announces Final Decision on Newark Liberty International Airport
earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration revealed a construction project on one of Newark Liberty International Airport's three main runways was completed two weeks ahead of schedule. "The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has completed construction of Runway 4-Left/22-Right at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). This runway will only be open for departures, while FAA flight crews ensure the runway's navigational aids are tested, calibrated and safe to use for arrivals. This is standard protocol to ensure a runway is safe to use for pilots and the flying public," the FAA said in a statement. "The airport will continue to operate with a maximum arrival rate of 28 aircraft an hour until those checks are complete. After that, the airport's maximum arrival rate will be 34 aircraft an hour." While travelers hoped the limited travel rate would be lifted at some point during the 2025 calendar year, they'll have to wait a bit longer. On June 6, the FAA announced the limited rate of arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport will continue through December 31, 2025. The confirmed reduced rates will maintain safety while alleviating excessive flight delays at the airport due to staffing and equipment challenges. The early completion of runway construction at the airport that added to the delays will also contribute to a more efficient operation," the FAA said in a statement. The order limits arrivals and departures to 28 each per hour during airport construction on weekends from September 1 through December 31, 2025. During the rest of the time, arrivals and departures the order calls for the limits not to exceed 34 each per hour through October 25, 2025. The transportation authority announced five specific fixes for its communication issues including adding three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based hubs and the Philadelphia Announces Final Decision on Newark Liberty International Airport first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 7, 2025
Travel Weekly
02-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Repaired runway reopens ahead of schedule at Newark Liberty
Newark Liberty Airport's runway 4L-22R has reopened for business nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the airport. The runway was shut down April 15 for repairs, bringing Newark's options down to just two runways and contributing to a host of delays and problems. The reduced capacity exacerbated a well-publicized communication blackout in late April at Newark's air traffic control facility near Philadelphia, which led to a cascade of delays and cancellations. To manage traffic at Newark, United Airlines, which is Newark's primary airline, voluntarily cut back 35 flights a day, and the FAA later stepped in to cap operations at Newark at 56 hourly arrivals and departures. But in the meantime, the Port Authority said, it brought in additional crews, expanded shifts and enabled construction to take place 24/7 to bring the runway back online faster than anticipated. Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton said that although the runway repair work had a scheduled completion date of June 15, "as other issues have arisen related to Newark Liberty's capacity, the Port Authority took on the challenge to speed up construction." DOT secretary Sean Duffy praised the timeline, saying that it "puts us on a path to further reducing congestion." The $128 million project included milling and paving the runway surface, updating lighting, improving airfield signs with LED lighting, installing new underground electrical infrastructure and improving drainage, the Port Authority said. United CEO: FAA flight caps at Newark helped In an interview with journalist Kate Linebaugh the Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything event last week, United CEO Scott Kirby said that with the FAA managing takeoff and landing capacity, Newark would likely be "the most reliable" of the New York airports this summer. "We had the best weekend in history for reliability at Newark over the Memorial Day holiday," he said. "It's likely going to be the most reliable; you have highest on-time performance of any of the New York-area airports this summer because of the changes at the FAA." And, he added, "because we lost a lot of bookings ... there's more seats available, it's going to be the cheapest it's probably ever going to be in history. I don't really like that, but you ought to book, and it's going to be the least crowded." Kirby said that once the runway construction was completed United could return some of its cut capacity to Newark, from 280 daily flights up to 380 -- but still down from about 440 last year. "I think we'll have it permanently," Kirby said of the FAA traffic management. "That's going to fix Newark. That's the one thing — it's the only thing that we needed, and it's getting done."
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Air traffic control system must be improved to prevent problems like Newark airport, officials say
The problems that disrupted flights at New Jersey 's largest airport this spring could be repeated anywhere across the country, so Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is trying to sell Congress on his plan to overhaul the nation's air traffic control system that will cost 'tens of billions.' Duffy provided an update Wednesday on the repairs and staffing efforts that are underway to help eliminate the problems affecting Newark Liberty International Airport, which has been running more smoothly in the past few weeks since the airlines started to cut the number of flights they operate there. And Duffy emphasized that the Newark radar outages and air traffic control shortage are a prime example of why the antiquated system needs to be improved. 'I'm concerned that we could have more Newarks. And again, why it's so important that we actually begin this build with the money that Congress is going to send us,' he said. Duffy still wouldn't give a price tag of his expansive overhaul of the air traffic control system that he said is clearly needed after the deadly midair collision over Washington, D.C., in January that killed 67 people and all the problems affecting Newark this spring. But he said the $12.5 billion the House included President Donald Trump 's massive bill won't be enough because 'it's going to be tens of billions of dollars.' Duffy has been meeting privately with lawmakers since he unveiled the plan. But he said he wants to let Congress 'do the dance the way the Congress dances' to develop a plan to pay for the program. Problems ease at Newark airport The problems that led to hundreds of cancellations and delays at Newark do seem to have improved since the Federal Aviation Administration limited the number of flights at the airport so they could handle it with the number of controllers available. The already short-staffed air traffic control facility in Philadelphia that directs planes in and out of Newark lost five controllers to trauma leave after the first radar and communications outage on April 28 and another one is out on medical leave. That left the facility with only 16 certified controllers and five supervisors. But Duffy said there are another 16 experienced controllers in training that he hopes will start to get certified between now and October. That is an example of how the FAA remains about 3,000 short on the number of air traffic controllers it wants, so Duffy has also tried to speed up the hiring and training process while offering incentives to keep experienced controllers from retiring early. The FAA has said that it expects to be able to bump up the number of flights daily in Newark to 34 arrivals and 34 departures once a runway construction project is completed in mid-June. That is also about the time that some of the controllers on a 45-day trauma leave might be scheduled to return. The FAA will revisit the limits in October because it hopes to have more controllers trained by then. The government also upgraded the software at the air traffic control facility after a second radar outage on May 9. That helped prevent a repeat problem on May 11. FAA addresses telecommunications problems The FAA is also working on the telecommunications problems. Duffy said Verizon worked quickly to install a new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York over the past month, but the FAA wants to thoroughly test it out before switching over, so that likely won't be available until July. After that, the FAA plans to also improve the lines between New York and the Newark airport because some of them are still copper wires. 'Clearly something wasn't going right when we experienced these outages,' acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau said. 'Right now, part of this effort, part of this initiative, is to ensure we're acting with decisiveness, right — with focus — to make sure the lines get in, to make sure those redundancies are put in, to make sure the controllers have the tools they need to make the system safe, to operate safely.' In the meantime, Duffy said it would be a good idea for pilots to brush up on their procedures of how to handle an outage because they can happen. In addition to the problems in Newark, controllers in Denver lost their radios for a couple minutes earlier this month. Duffy said there were also several other outages affecting Newark last year that didn't get public attention. 'We have to look at the real world around us and some of the issues that come up and make sure we are brushed up and ready to go, should there be a brief outage," Duffy said. "And again, that there's a lot of redundancy and a lot of procedures that keep people safe should this happen.'
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Air traffic control system must be improved to prevent problems like Newark airport, officials say
The problems that disrupted flights at New Jersey's largest airport this spring could be repeated anywhere across the country, so Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is trying to sell Congress on his plan to overhaul the nation's air traffic control system that will cost 'tens of billions.' Duffy provided an update Wednesday on the repairs and staffing efforts that are underway to help eliminate the problems affecting Newark Liberty International Airport, which has been running more smoothly in the past few weeks since the airlines started to cut the number of flights they operate there. And Duffy emphasized that the Newark radar outages and air traffic control shortage are a prime example of why the antiquated system needs to be improved. 'I'm concerned that we could have more Newarks. And again, why it's so important that we actually begin this build with the money that Congress is going to send us,' he said. Duffy still wouldn't give a price tag of his expansive overhaul of the air traffic control system that he said is clearly needed after the deadly midair collision over Washington, D.C., in January that killed 67 people and all the problems affecting Newark this spring. But he said the $12.5 billion the House included President Donald Trump's massive bill won't be enough because 'it's going to be tens of billions of dollars.' Duffy has been meeting privately with lawmakers since he unveiled the plan. But he said he wants to let Congress 'do the dance the way the Congress dances' to develop a plan to pay for the program. Problems ease at Newark airport The problems that led to hundreds of cancellations and delays at Newark do seem to have improved since the Federal Aviation Administration limited the number of flights at the airport so they could handle it with the number of controllers available. The already short-staffed air traffic control facility in Philadelphia that directs planes in and out of Newark lost five controllers to trauma leave after the first radar and communications outage on April 28 and another one is out on medical leave. That left the facility with only 16 certified controllers and five supervisors. But Duffy said there are another 16 experienced controllers in training that he hopes will start to get certified between now and October. That is an example of how the FAA remains about 3,000 short on the number of air traffic controllers it wants, so Duffy has also tried to speed up the hiring and training process while offering incentives to keep experienced controllers from retiring early. The FAA has said that it expects to be able to bump up the number of flights daily in Newark to 34 arrivals and 34 departures once a runway construction project is completed in mid-June. That is also about the time that some of the controllers on a 45-day trauma leave might be scheduled to return. The FAA will revisit the limits in October because it hopes to have more controllers trained by then. The government also upgraded the software at the air traffic control facility after a second radar outage on May 9. That helped prevent a repeat problem on May 11. FAA addresses telecommunications problems The FAA is also working on the telecommunications problems. Duffy said Verizon worked quickly to install a new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York over the past month, but the FAA wants to thoroughly test it out before switching over, so that likely won't be available until July. After that, the FAA plans to also improve the lines between New York and the Newark airport because some of them are still copper wires. 'Clearly something wasn't going right when we experienced these outages,' acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau said. 'Right now, part of this effort, part of this initiative, is to ensure we're acting with decisiveness, right — with focus — to make sure the lines get in, to make sure those redundancies are put in, to make sure the controllers have the tools they need to make the system safe, to operate safely.' In the meantime, Duffy said it would be a good idea for pilots to brush up on their procedures of how to handle an outage because they can happen. In addition to the problems in Newark, controllers in Denver lost their radios for a couple minutes earlier this month. Duffy said there were also several other outages affecting Newark last year that didn't get public attention. 'We have to look at the real world around us and some of the issues that come up and make sure we are brushed up and ready to go, should there be a brief outage,' Duffy said. 'And again, that there's a lot of redundancy and a lot of procedures that keep people safe should this happen.'
CNN
23-05-2025
- CNN
Summer air travel could be a ‘recipe for frustration'
US air travel has seen a very bumpy year filled with safety incidents, fatal accidents and an air traffic control meltdown that has expedited plans for a complete overhaul of the system. 2025 started with a tragedy in Washington, when 67 people died in a midair collision between a commercial jet and an Army helicopter. Heightened anxieties stirred national attention to close calls between commercial jets and go-around maneuvers performed by pilots to prevent accidents. To top it off, an air traffic control meltdown plagued Newark Liberty International Airport for weeks after staffing shortages and technology outages caused hours-long delays. All this raising the question: What will summer look like for air travelers in the US? Prepare for disruptions, experts say. The kickoff to the summer travel season starts with Memorial Day weekend, when United Airlines alone is expected to fly 300,000 more passengers than last year. The Federal Aviation Administration is expecting record-high travel over the holiday weekend and its busiest summer in 15 years, with the peak at the end of July. The agency has said it's prepared for the high volume, but travel industry experts warn that understaffing and infrastructure breakdowns could complicate operations. There are plans in the works from the Department of Transportation and the FAA to address these issues at airports and air traffic control facilities, but a complete revamp of the air traffic control system will take at least the next three to four years. If you're traveling this summer, be sure to plan for a possible disruption. Disruptions are 'always worse in the summer,' said Hayley Berg, lead economist at travel booking and price tracking company Hopper. 'In the summer, there's more people flying,' Berg said. 'Airports are busier, I think we are certainly starting to see the impact of understaffing, as airlines are now in their second or third year of flying full capacity and air traffic and airport staffing are not back to the levels that we would need to support the volume.' Overall, she said, disruption rates are down for May compared to previous years, however, specific airports have had a bad month. Newark Liberty International Airport has dealt with four separate technology outages since April 28. Staffing is stretched thin at the facility that controls approaches and departures of flights, and a runway is still under construction. The FAA ordered airlines to decrease flights at Newark by about 25%, compared to the number of flights there in early April. After June 15, when runway construction is not ongoing, some flights can return – but the airport is still limited to fewer flights than before. Les Abend, a retired American Airlines Boeing 777 captain, said the problems that have been plaguing Newark recently could 'start leaking out of other facilities.' But he underlined that the US already has next-generation (NextGen) air traffic control capabilities. 'It's the infrastructure that supplies the data that's become the issue,' he said. Disruptions such as the air traffic control outages that happened at Newark can create a 'domino effect' on flights in other places. Add air traffic controller shortages and the time that it takes to train a controller at any given facility to that mix, plus typical summer storms that can slow operations, and 'Yeah, it can be a recipe for frustration for travelers. There's no doubt,' said Abend. 'The fact that we're seeing that our infrastructure is breaking down, to some extent — it's not going to collapse by any means — it's just going to be bits and pieces. And it's just going to create frustration as far as delays, cancellations, so on and so forth.' But he added that he wants to reassure the public. 'It's still a safe system. If you lose contact with air traffic control, we as pilots have a system and a protocol to do certain things,' Abend said. Abend said he's not anticipating system-wide disruption this summer. 'I would say the majority of times, you're going to get to where you want to go when you're scheduled to get there.' Summer is a hotspot at Newark Airport, which is an international hub for many flyers heading to Europe or many other transatlantic destinations, Berg said. 'Those passengers, I think, are certainly feeling some anxiety about what their travel plans are going to look like,' she said. Despite the natural hassle that comes with packed airports and crowded planes, most travelers will still take the trip, according to Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, an online service that helps travelers seek compensation when plans are disrupted. But he thinks many passengers have changed their attitudes towards Newark Airport. '(Travelers) are really cautious on what's going on and how they fly, and I think the media attention also brought up quite a lot of problems to the surface, that existed for years,' he said. Domestic airfare is down about 3% from the same time last year, which is the lowest level since 2021 at $265 per round trip ticket, Hopper's 2025 summer travel outlook reported. Fares to Europe are down about 8% from 2024. 'I'm expecting a business-as-usual summer, maybe a little less of a crowd on the busiest days as people try to travel on cheaper days of the week,' Berg said. However, a recent survey from Bankrate shows 54% of adults expect to spend less on travel, eating out or entertainment this year, compared to last year. Of those surveyed, 65% of Americans who are not traveling this summer say they can't afford it and another 23% say they're not interested. But United Airlines, which has a major hub at Newark, expects to serve more passengers this season. In June, July and August, United expects to fly nearly 50 million passengers, about a 3 million passenger uptick from last year's summer. So far, the busiest US air travel day this year was April 17 with over 54,000 flights, according to the FAA. The FAA expects six more days of over 54,000 flights through the end of August. While there are many things up in the air with travel this summer, experts say it's important to follow a few simple tips to try to have the least amount of disruption. Flying direct will help alleviate the stress of missing a connection at other airports, Pawliszyn said. He also recommends flying in the morning and avoiding the weekend. 'Until we stop hearing stories about Newark,' Abend said he would book New York-area flights through JFK or LaGuardia this summer. He also advised travelers to take a proactive stance on potential disruptions, keeping an eye on where the aircraft servicing their flight is coming from and what the weather is like there. If storms are likely to slow things down, passengers may want to change their flights. CNN's Marnie Hunter contributed to this report.
