On Saturday, passengers traveling to or from Newark Liberty International Airport faced significant delays and cancellations attributed to a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers, a pressing issue that the Trump administration has vowed to address. The problems at the busy New Jersey airport have been ongoing throughout the week, leading to United Airlines eliminating 35 daily flights from its Newark schedule starting that day. This decision comes as a direct response to the ongoing challenges related to the air traffic control system, which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allegedly failed to rectify.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby expressed in a letter to customers that the technology used for managing air traffic at Newark has faced multiple failures in recent days. Compounding the situation was the fact that over one-fifth of Newark’s air traffic controllers had not reported for duty, exacerbating the issue. Kirby emphasized in his communication that Newark has been chronically understaffed and that without sufficient controllers, the airport cannot accommodate the volume of flights currently scheduled for operation.
According to FAA data, staffing shortages at Newark have resulted in average delays of nearly two hours for some arriving flights and 45 minutes for departing flights. Just two days prior, the airport had warned travelers that both "staffing issues and construction" were contributing to ongoing delays. As a response, the Trump administration has been working towards bolstering the air traffic controller workforce, with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently unveiling a program aimed at recruiting new controllers while providing existing staff with incentives to postpone retirement.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union representing the workers, indicated that while these measures could alleviate some staffing challenges, the system is overdue for much-needed technology and infrastructure improvements. On Friday, Secretary Duffy noted that he met with air traffic controllers during efforts to rectify equipment outages caused by outdated technology.
United Airlines' decision to reduce its flight schedule in Newark comes at a precarious time for U.S. airlines, as potential customers are reevaluating travel plans due to economic uncertainty connected to President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war. This climate of uncertainty has prompted United to provide two different financial forecasts for the year—one assuming an economic recession and the other without. Despite these challenges, United Airlines operates flights from Newark to 76 U.S. cities and 81 international destinations.
