Air traffic controllers have faced significant pressure for decades, yet just 90 seconds can make all the difference.
equipment failure
Last week revealed the consequences of years of inadequate staff levels, insufficient funding, and makeshift approaches for directing aircraft through one of the globe's busiest airspaces. This has clearly taken its toll recently.
The outage also led to numerous flight delays, causing disruptions for thousands of travellers for several days – yet again.
What happened?
On the afternoon of April 28, air traffic control personnel at a station in Philadelphia, tasked with directing aircraft to and from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, encountered blank radar screens and lost communication with airplanes for over a minute.
The disruption was around 30 seconds long. Additionally, it took between 30 to 60 more seconds for airplanes to show up again on radar screens, as stated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Captains at leading American air carriers mention they undergo specific training to manage such system failures.
However, an interruption lasting just a few seconds "feels like forever for air traffic controllers," according to Jeff Guzzetti, a former air safety investigator for both the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.
The incident, which wasn’t the first occurrence of equipment failures at the facility, was so disruptive that some individuals reported needing "time off to recuperate from the strain caused by several recent outages," according to the FAA.
Over 1,500 flights out of Newark experienced delays last week, as reported by FlightAware.
United Airlines
, which operates a hub from Newark, stated that they were
trimming 35 flights per day
From its timetable to reduce pressure on its operations and clientele.
A runway at Newark has likewise been shut down due to construction, contributing to the delays.
New steps
On Wednesday, the FAA announced an increase in staff at the Philadelphia facility along with efforts to resolve issues with the communication lines providing data to controllers for Newark flights. The agency stated its intention to set up a temporary backup system aimed at offering redundancy as they transition to a more dependable fiber optic network.
On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will unveil an extensive overhaul plan for the U.S. air traffic control system, potentially necessitating Congressional approval for several billion dollars in extra financing.
"We have computers, and I assure you this, as of 2025, still running on Windows 95 and using floppy disks," stated Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, during an interview in March.
The FAA last year said that the average age of its towers is 40 and that most radar systems are approaching 40 years old. “Aging facilities add risk to the system, including risk of service disruptions,” it said.
Accident draws urgency
The event on April 28 and earlier disruptions did not result in any incidents; however, these malfunctions intensified concerns over an outdated system and consistent staffing inadequacies of air traffic controllers, especially within the congested skies above New York City.
The U.S. air traffic control handles approximately 45,000 daily flights altogether, as stated by the FAA.
The necessity to address ongoing issues escalated significantly following a Black Hawk Army helicopter incident.
collided
with an
American Airlines
A regional jet crashed on January 29, resulting in the deaths of all 67 individuals aboard the plane. This incident was the
deadliest
Airplane accident in the United States following the year 2001.
“A deadly collision between two airplanes had to happen before everyone took notice,” Guzzetti stated.
What makes Newark so problematic?
Newark is already grappling with limited space to start with.
Last year, it managed approximately 414,000 flights, which is 11% less than what John F. Kennedy International Airport saw, as reported by the airport's operator, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. However, Newark is roughly half the size of JFK.
Technical hitches and insufficient staff have particularly affected Newark recently. Last year, the FAA relocated controllers managing Newark from a facility in Long Island, New York—where aircraft are also coordinated for both LaGuardia Airport and Kennedy International in Queens—to a distant outpost in Philadelphia. This shift aimed to alleviate crowding and stress at the Long Island location; however, problems persist.
Airlines are facing challenges due to staff shortages among air traffic controllers, which has frustrated industry leaders looking to take advantage of robust demand.
demand
However, they are limited and incur significant expenses because of a shortage of controllers.
"Remember, this specific air traffic control center has faced chronic under staffing for many years. Now it's evident— as the FAA informs us—that Newark Airport won’t be able to manage the planned volume of flights in the coming weeks and months without these controllers," said United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to customers on Friday, announcing reductions in their schedules.
Prior to April 26, an average of four daily flights out of Newark were cancelled in April. However, this number increased to about 39 cancellations per day as of early May, according to data from aviation analysis company Cirium. Before April 26, approximately 80% of flights operated as scheduled; after that date, however, only around 63% did so, which Cirium noted was "significantly beneath typical industry standards."
Slowing it down
Duffy has stated that air travel is secure. Following his trip to the Philadelphia facility earlier this week, he mentioned that the FAA might reduce, potentially even stopping, arrivals entirely in case of an air traffic controller shortage.
United Airlines' CEO, Kirby, assured staff in a memorandum on Wednesday that traveling to and from Newark remains secure. He mentioned that the airline's pilots possess extensive experience and training, enabling them to follow protocols for "restoring communication should air traffic controllers lose radio contact," ensuring they can guide the aircraft safely to its final destination.
Airlines have requested capacity restrictions to alleviate congestion, and this latest disruption was no different.
Kirby stated in an employee memo on Friday that United has been pressing the U.S. government for years to utilize its power to appropriately cap the flight volume within what the airport can reasonably manage," he explained. "The lack of action in making these adjustments previously has resulted in the situation we—and more critically, our clients—are currently dealing with.
In 2016, the FAA loosened flight limitations at the airport, and Kirby argued that the FAA ought to revert to previous regulations.
It’s well overdue to recognize EWR as the prized gem it truly is," he informed his staff during the Wednesday address, referencing the airport's designation. "We will keep collaborating closely with the FAA and [Department of Transportation] to finally resolve issues at EWR and provide our nation with an exceptional air traffic system that matches its standing.
Adding air traffic controllers
According to the controllers' union, NATCA, the U.S. currently has approximately 10,800 air traffic controllers, which falls short of their complete staffing target by about 3,000 individuals.
“Over the last eight years, we’ve had 146,000 applicants and we’ve hired 7,905 of those,” Chris Wilbanks, vice president of mission support at the FAA who is in charge of controller hiring and training, said in interview in March. “Less than 10% of the people that apply for the job actually make it to the [Oklahoma training] academy and then graduate to go out into the field.”
Last fiscal year, the FAA aimed to recruit 1,800 air traffic controllers.
"We'll lose 35% during their time at the academy. Then, an additional 20% will drop out when they start working in the field for on-the-job training. Therefore, our final count won't reach 1,800 air traffic controllers," explained Wilbanks.
The demanding role of an air traffic controller mandates retirement at 56 years old, and candidates entering the academy must not exceed 30 years of age. Due to staffing shortages, numerous controllers often find themselves working six-day weeks.
Recently, Duffy has introduced enhanced financial rewards, such as increased compensation for air traffic controllers. The initial salary stands at approximately $45,000, as mentioned by the union representative Daniels. However, the average annual earnings for an American air traffic controller amount to $144,580 per year, based on data from the U.S. Labor Department.
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