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Tag: Newark Liberty International Airport

  • FAA extends flight restrictions at Newark Airport until Oct. 24, 2026

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    NEWARK, New Jersey — The Federal Aviation Administration is extending the limited rate of arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport through October 2026.

    Air traffic controllers who handle flights arriving and departing the airport were plagued early this year by multiple communications and radar outages, leading to thousands of cancellations.

    “The goal of the reduced rates is to continue maintaining safety while alleviating flight delays due to staffing and equipment challenges, resulting in smoother travel into and out of Newark,” the FAA said in a release.

    While the FAA continues to limit flights, the number of takeoffs and landings is going up by four per hour to 72, still well below the more than 80 the airport saw before the current caps were put in place.

    United Airlines, which operates a large hub at Newark, has supported limiting the number of flights into the airport.

    “The reduced operations, along with continued focus on technology upgrades and ATC staffing increases, are critical milestones toward Newark’s long-term operational certainty,” CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement. “Things will only get better as we head into the fall and winter seasons.”

    Former acting head of the FAA, Chris Rocheleau, had testified in June to members of the House that by this October, the Philadelphia air traffic control facility that handles flights in and out of Newark would reach healthy staffing levels and technology issues would be resolved.

    The FAA said it has “successfully transitioned” to a brand-new fiber optic communications network between New York and the Philadelphia TRACON. Staffing has also increased, with 22 fully certified controllers and five certified supervisors. Twenty-seven controllers and supervisors are in training.

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  • Severe weather in Northeast continues to disrupt air travel

    Severe weather in Northeast continues to disrupt air travel

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    Severe weather in Northeast continues to disrupt air travel – CBS News


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    Another day of severe weather in the Northeast has caused thousands of flight delays and cancellations ahead of the July Fourth weekend. Stranded passengers have been forced to either pay for a hotel or sleep at the gate. CBS News’ Errol Barnett reports from Newark Liberty International Airport.

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  • United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby blasts FAA call to cancel and delay flights because of bad weather

    United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby blasts FAA call to cancel and delay flights because of bad weather

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    Travelers aren’t the only ones frustrated over a wave of flight cancellations that have snarled travel plans across the Northeast. One airline executive is also grumbling about the disruptions.

    United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby blasted the Federal Aviation Agency’s decision to cancel thousands of flights last weekend due to a severe bout of weather. The cancellations and delays have affected more than 150,000 United Airlines customers, according to the company.

    In an email to employees that was sent on Monday, Kirby says the FAA “failed” United Airlines by ordering flight cancellations and delays at Newark Liberty International Airport amid difficult weather conditions that it “has historically been able to manage.” 

    “I’m … frustrated that the FAA frankly failed us this weekend,” Kirby said in the email. “As you know, the weather we saw in EWR is something that the FAA has historically been able to manage without a severe impact on our operation and customers.”

    In response to Kirby’s criticisms, the FAA said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch, “We will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem.”

    More than 715 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled as of Tuesday, data from flight tracker FlightAware shows. Of those flights, more than 270 were flying to or from Newark Liberty International Airport, which is United Airlines’ New York-area hub.

    The FAA oversees air traffic in the U.S., giving it influence over flight schedules. But in recent months, the agency has struggled to carry out its those duties due to staff shortages. 

    However, some travelers at Newark Airport took to social media to vent about delays — and many placed the blame on United Airlines, not the FAA, saying that the airline didn’t have enough staff on hand to help stranded customers. United didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

    “Come on @UnitedAirlines, 9 hours and counting in a queue for Customer Service at Newark Airport following cancellation of my flight just before 10pm yesterday. I think you need more staff to help sort this backlog …” one traveler wrote on Twitter on Tuesday morning.

    Another traveler tweeted, “No hotel, no compensation, no apologies; only told to join a +/-1000 people line to get a voucher or another fake booking for the next flight and wait for that to also be canceled!?”

    Air traffic controller shortage

    In March, the FAA issued a notice warning that an air traffic controller shortage at its New York facility could disrupt summer travel. According to that notice, the agency had reached just 54% of its staffing goal for certified professional controllers at that location — far below the national average. Workers at the facility provide air traffic services for John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, according to the FAA. 

    Kirby told his employees he will work in tandem with the FAA and the Department of Transportation to prevent a similar situation from disrupting travel this summer, according to the email. However, he stressed that the responsibility to remedy the FAA’s issues lies with the agency itself.  

    “It’s not the fault of the current FAA leadership that they are in this seriously understaffed position — it’s been building up for a long time before they were in charge,” Kirby wrote. “But, it is incumbent on them now to lead and take action to minimize the impact.”

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  • Wildfire smoke causes flight delays across Northeast. Here’s what to know about the disruptions.

    Wildfire smoke causes flight delays across Northeast. Here’s what to know about the disruptions.

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    Poor air quality impacts millions for second day


    Hazardous air conditions from wildfire smoke impacts millions of Americans for second day

    03:49

    Travelers flying in or out of the Northeast may want to check on the status of their airport on Thursday, with wildfire smoke from Canada causing more flight disruptions for a second day. 

    On Thursday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration put a ground stop on departures from Philadelphia International Airport, citing low visibility, while departures from LaGuardia airport in New York City had an average ground delay of almost an hour, according to agency data.

    The FAA tweeted Wednesday morning that it would “likely need to take steps to manage the flow of traffic safely into New York City, DC, Philadelphia and Charlotte.”

    In addition to the ground stop on departing flights from Philadelphia, the agency added that it had paused in-bound flights on Wednesday morning to Philadelphia, as well as for New York City’s LaGuardia, coming from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Ohio due to low visibility. 

    The agency also issued a ground delay for Newark airport on Thursday morning.

    The delays and ground stops come after all flights to LaGuardia were paused on Wednesday, while New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport experienced arrival and departure delays. Images from New York City on Wednesday showed an apocalyptic-looking scene, with its skyline dimmed by smoke and the air a burnt-orange color. 

    The Northeast has been blanketed by smoke from the Canadian wildfires, prompting warnings about air quality across the region and prompting schools to cancel after-school events and employers to tell workers to stay home. 

    Passengers can check real-time flight information at the FAA’s website, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tweeted on Wednesday evening.

    Meanwhile, some airlines urged travelers to check their apps and websites to monitor for delays or other problems. 

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