The Newark Liberty International Airport recently faced a significant disruption when air traffic controllers temporarily lost contact with the planes under their watch. This alarming incident occurred on April 28 and has led to several employees being placed on trauma leave, sparking a wave of delayed and canceled flights. According to tracking service FlightAware, over 150 flights were canceled alone on Monday. Newark, a vital hub for New York air travel, has been grappling with staffing shortages, worsening the situation.
In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) admitted that the outdated air traffic control system is affecting its workforce morale. The agency confirmed that it was unable to quickly fill the vacancies left by the employees who took leave. "We continue to train controllers for this busy airspace," the FAA stated.
United Airlines also criticized the current state of air traffic management, revealing that it canceled 35 flights daily from Newark due to inability to accommodate the scheduled planes. CEO Scott Kirby pointed out that technology failures directly impacted the operation, leading to numerous diversions and cancellations. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has mentioned that controllers took leave for trauma under specific provisions, but they did not disclose how many were absent or the duration of the communication lapse.
In an effort to improve air traffic control staffing levels, the U.S. Department of Transportation recently introduced a plan to hire and retain around 2,000 controllers this year. This initiative aims to ensure a more robust workforce to prevent future disruptions in air travel.
In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) admitted that the outdated air traffic control system is affecting its workforce morale. The agency confirmed that it was unable to quickly fill the vacancies left by the employees who took leave. "We continue to train controllers for this busy airspace," the FAA stated.
United Airlines also criticized the current state of air traffic management, revealing that it canceled 35 flights daily from Newark due to inability to accommodate the scheduled planes. CEO Scott Kirby pointed out that technology failures directly impacted the operation, leading to numerous diversions and cancellations. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association has mentioned that controllers took leave for trauma under specific provisions, but they did not disclose how many were absent or the duration of the communication lapse.
In an effort to improve air traffic control staffing levels, the U.S. Department of Transportation recently introduced a plan to hire and retain around 2,000 controllers this year. This initiative aims to ensure a more robust workforce to prevent future disruptions in air travel.
