The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will reduce flight operations at Newark Liberty International Airport following a fourth communication outage in three weeks.
The blackout, linked to the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), briefly cut radio contact on May 20, although “all aircraft remained safely separated,” an FAA spokesman said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the FAA will issue a revised schedule and noted passengers will “see reductions.” Newark currently handles about 1,200 daily flights. To ease congestion and support ongoing construction, the FAA proposed a reduced arrival rate of 28 flights per hour.
“The goal is to have a manageable number of flights land at Newark,” Duffy said. “Families shouldn’t have to wait four or five hours.”
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the airport “cannot handle the number of planes” and announced 35 round-trip flight cancellations daily. The Port Authority urged the FAA to fix staffing and technology issues.