Latest news with #flightdisruptions
Skift
5 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
Fixing Newark: DOT Chief Cites Progress on Runway and Telecom — but Challenges Remain
After weeks of disruptions out of Newark, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is optimistic that the situation will soon improve. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday flyers can expect to soon see improvements at Newark Liberty International Airport. 'You're gonna see improvements in this airport, in this airspace,' Duffy said at a press conference in Newark. 'You're gonna see improvements again in the telecom. And then you'll see improvements with the staffing issues with regard to controllers.' Newark has been marred by disruptions for the past month due to staffing issues, ongoing runway construction, and outdated technology. To mitigate some of the disruptions out of the airport, the Federal Aviation Administration limited flights out of Newark to 56 an hour. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday that runway construction at Newark was completed 13 days ahead of schedule. That runway is now being used for departures, and acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau said he expects the runway to be certified for arrivals within the next few days. Once the runway is certified, Newark will be able to accommodate 68 flights per hour, or 34 arrivals and departures each. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, who was also at the press conference, said Newark can typically accommodate 77 flights an hour. Duffy said the telecommunications problems are currently getting fixed. Outdated telecommunications technology led to multiple outages where air traffic controllers briefly lost contact with aircraft. He said that Verizon fixed the connectivity between Philadelphia, where Newark's air traffic controllers are based, and New York. Now, the FAA is testing the new fiber optic line between Philadelphia and New York. 'If you book, you fly, and that's critical, that's important,' Duffy said. An Ambitious Timeline for Air Traffic Reform Duffy has also been pushing for a slate of reforms to modernize the national air traffic control system. Some of those reforms include replacing outdated telecommunications equipment, radars, and radios. The Transportation Secretary was optimistic that nationwide reforms could be done in three to four years. 'We hope the completion of all of our airspace will be finished in that three to four year timeframe,' Duffy said. 'If I get the permitting reform, I think closer to three, if we don't, we're closer to four.' The House has already proposed $12.5 billion in initial funding for air traffic control fixes in its proposed legislation, 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' Duffy said he expects the Senate to earmark more funds. However, it has been estimated that modernizing air traffic control could cost upwards of $30 billion and it is unclear if Congress will apportion that amount of money. The FAA has sought to modernize its air traffic infrastructure through its NextGen project, but progress on that project has been hindered by uncertainty with future funding, frequent leadership changes, and technical issues. 'This is an American project. This is an American bill,' Duffy said. 'This is the most important infrastructure project that we've had in this country for decades. I think the Congress is gonna engage.' What am I looking at? The performance of airline sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including network carriers, low-cost carriers, and other related companies. The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more airlines sector financial performance. Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Flight to Dunedin unable to land due to high winds
Strong winds have buffeted some flights around the country today including causing a rocky approach at Queenstown Airport. Photo: 123RF High winds have made it challenging for passengers aboard flights in some parts of the country today. An orange strong wind warning was in place for Hawke's Bay, from Napier southwards and the Tararua District until 10pm on Saturday night. A similar warning was in force until mid-afternoon for Southern Fiordland, Southland, Stewart Island, Clutha and Dunedin. And Wairarapa was under a strong wind watch until mid-afternoon. At least one flight had to return to Auckland on Saturday morning after being unable to land in Dunedin. Passengers said it was a rocky approach to Queenstown Airport because of the winds. It comes after a tornado hit Hamilton on Thursday night, damaging houses in Nawton including throwing a trampoline into powerlines. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Reuters
3 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Newark airport runway to reopen Monday after construction
May 30 (Reuters) - A runway at Newark, one of the main airports serving New York City, will reopen on Monday nearly two weeks ahead of schedule following a series of major disruptions that have impacted flights, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport, located about 9 miles (14.5 km) from Manhattan, has experienced a chaotic series of equipment outages, runway construction and air traffic control staffing issues for weeks. Duffy said Friday the runway will reopen ahead of the June 15 targeted date. Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a reduction in flights to a maximum of 28 arrivals per hour and 28 departures per hour until runway construction is completed.
Forbes
6 days ago
- General
- Forbes
Worried About Flying: Here Are 9 Expert Suggestions For This Summer
Aviation safety experts say passengers can minimize the risk when flying this summer by being strategic when selecting airports, seats, planes and departure times. A string of recent alarming incidents—from military helicopters interfering with the flow of commercial jets at Reagan National in Washington, D.C. to equipment outages causing air traffic controllers to lose contact with planes at Newark Liberty International Airport and others nationwide—have made travelers jittery as summer approaches. Forbes spoke to four aviation safety experts who offered advice for minimizing risk exposure and reducing the likelihood of flight disruptions this summer. Decisions within a passenger's control include the strategic selection of airports, seats, planes and departure times. 'When we know there's a problem someplace, I simply avoid that airport,' Mary Schiavo, former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, told Forbes. 'So I'm not flying into DCA (Reagan National) or Newark, no way—and if I hear the problems persist at Houston or Denver, for example, then I'll take them off the list, too.' John Cox, aviation safety expert and retired commercial airline pilot, also recommended avoiding Newark for now. 'Think about maybe utilizing LaGuardia or Kennedy or Philly or White Plains and not be dependent on an airport that's experiencing the kind of delays that Newark has,' he said. These days, many travelers are making similar calculations, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's wife. The average number of travelers flying out of Newark has dropped by as much as 20% compared to this time last year, according to Transportation Security Administration data reviewed by NBC News. Connecting flights might be cheaper, but direct flights are safer. 'You decrease your exposure to anything bad happening by going with a nonstop flight, as opposed to a connecting flight, where now you've got two flights you've got to worry about in terms of not only safety, but delays and cancellations,' Jeff Guzzetti, a retired aircraft accident investigator for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told Forbes. 'If you're looking at statistics, taking a nonstop flight cuts your risk in half, because the riskiest times of any flight are takeoffs and landings,' Schiavo said. Many travelers default to major hubs—but some of the nation's busiest airports have been experiencing the worst air traffic issues, including technology outages and staffing shortages. 'Because of the volume of traffic, the hubs will tend to hang up,' Cox said. Luckily, said Schiavo, travelers have many other options. 'We have over 500 towered airports in this country, and I would definitely recommend that people start to look at those secondary airports, where there's less congestion,' she said, adding, 'I have to go to Ohio a lot and I fly into Akron-Canton. That's not my destination, but it's a beautiful little airport, and I'm out of that airport in five minutes.' Instead of flying into Reagan National, Schiavo is choosing Dulles these days, 'even if it means I take a long cab or Uber ride into DC.' 'Commercial airline crashes are extremely rare but, even then, most people don't realize that airline crashes are almost always survivable,' Guzzetti said, citing NTSB statistics showing 81% of commercial airline passengers survive most accidents. He pointed out the Delta plane that flipped and caught fire after a hard landing in Toronto in February, saying, 'The airplane was trashed, but everyone walked away.' He stresses the key factor is being able to evacuate the plane quickly. 'When you look at the statistics, you want to increase your chances of survivability. I always choose my own seat, either in the emergency exit or very close to it,' he said. For the same reason, Guzzetti avoids wearing sandals and flip-flops as a precaution. 'If I had to get out of the plane very quickly, I could do it.' When flight shopping, consider more than price and departure time. Whether booking directly from the airline or through a third-party platform, pay attention to the type of plane you'll be flying in, which you can typically see with an extra click. 'I usually pick larger airplanes if I have the option,' Guzzetti said. 'In other words, wide-body like a [Boeing] 777 or 787, as opposed to a regional jet, just because it's larger, it's more comfortable, and usually larger airplanes have more sophisticated safety systems.' Two relatively new commercial airlines that launched during the Covid pandemic offer nonstop service between many popular U.S. destinations. Breeze Airways offers direct service on more than 600 U.S. routes and Avelo Airlines connects roughly four dozen U.S. destinations. 'These nonstop flights cut down on congestion, cut down on passenger angst, and use some of these less-crowded airports,' Schiavo said. 'Flights that go out earlier in the day are less likely to hang up, and that's particularly true in the summertime,' Cox said. It's important to understand that storms in one region of the country can quickly turn into a national air travel problem. Afternoon and evening flights tend to be delayed more often than morning departures because airlines reuse planes and crews for multiple trips during the day, so a delay early in the day creates a domino effect later on. 'Afternoon flights have more issues. That's borne out by statistics,' added Schiavo. Having a heads-up that your flight will be delayed has big advantages—especially if you know before everyone else on the flight. 'There's an app called Flighty that tells you a lot,' Cox said. 'Where is the airplane that's going to fly my flight? How late is it?' If your plane is delayed on an earlier flight, it will most likely be delayed for your flight, too. Having that kind of information lets you be proactive about making necessary changes. 'Passengers should download their airline app to get real time updates on delays or gate changes,' said Chadwin Kendall, an associate professor and FAA chief instructor in the Department of Aviation and Aerospace Science at Metropolitan State University of Denver. 'Many of those apps allow you to rebook via the app directly if there is a cancellation, instead of having to go and talk to a gate agent.' FAA data show that, for many U.S. airports, summer weather is responsible for far more delays than winter weather. By consulting the FAA's flight delay map, flyers can see which airports are having issues in real time. Hover over the airport to see the reason for the delay. 'The main mission of air traffic controllers is to keep airplanes separated,' explained Kendall. When an airport becomes too congested for air traffic control to handle, or if there is another issue, like bad weather or runway construction, the FAA may issue a ground delay, which slows the flow of arrivals into that airport until the airspace is less congested. 'Often, the safest thing is just to leave the airplane on the ground [at its origin airport].' Trump Has Blamed Biden For FAA's Failures—But A Key 'Terrible Idea' Happened On His Watch (Forbes)
Reuters
10-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US FAA to meet with airlines about temporary Newark flight cuts
WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said late on Friday it plans to meet with major airlines on Wednesday about potential temporary cuts in flights at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport to address recent major disruptions. Earlier this week, Transportation Department Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration was working with airlines to cut flights at Newark after hundreds of flights were disrupted since April 28. United Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab, the largest airline at Newark, last week cut 10% of its flights there after prior significant cuts. On some recent days, flights have been delayed five hours or more, on average. On Friday, the Philadelphia facility that guides air traffic in and out of Newark airport suffered a new 90-second communications outage, the second in two weeks. The Newark airport has been hit by runway construction, FAA equipment outages and air traffic control staffing shortages that prompted urgent calls from lawmakers for investigations and new funding for Newark, the busy airport just outside New York. United said it has historically flown 440 flights daily out of Newark, but after cutting flights earlier this spring due to the runway construction and the latest cuts, it is now down to 293. The FAA last year relocated control of the Newark airspace to Philadelphia to address staffing and congested New York City area traffic. United CEO Scott Kirby wants Duffy to designate Newark as a slot controlled airport, which would allow the FAA to limit the number of departing or arriving flights due to congestion and capacity constraints to prevent delays. Reuters first reported last week that major U.S. airlines have asked the FAA to extend cuts to minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports through October 2027, citing severe air traffic controller staffing shortages.
