Newark ATC Crisis: United Cuts 35 Daily Flights as Controller Staffing Hits 59%

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Newark Liberty Airport is canceling 35 daily round-trip flights as air traffic controller staffing falls to just 59% capacity.

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"Over 20% of the FAA controllers for EWR walked off the job," United CEO Scott Kirby stated as the airline slashed its Newark schedule.

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The New York TRACON facility responsible for Newark's airspace has the lowest controller trainee success rate in the nation—just 25%.

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Controllers are working mandatory six-day weeks while the FAA faces a nationwide shortage of approximately 3,000 controllers.

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Adding to staffing woes, Newark's main runway is closed until mid-June for a $121 million rehabilitation project.

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"The system is 25, 30 years old. We use floppy disks! We use copper wires!" Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained about FAA's aging infrastructure.

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Philadelphia TRACON has experienced multiple radar and radio failures in recent weeks, forcing ground stops that ripple through the entire air traffic system.

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Flight delays cost the U.S. economy approximately $33 billion annually—about $47 per passenger hour lost.

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The DOT has unveiled incentives including $5,000 bonuses for new controller hires and $10,000 for those accepting positions at understaffed facilities.

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What does this mean for summer travel? Experts warn the situation at Newark affects flights nationwide and may not improve before peak travel season.

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