U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy provides update on Newark Airport. 

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Statement

The FAA issued an interim order reducing the flight arrival and departure rate at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Under the interim order issued Tuesday, the maximum hourly rate will be:

• 28 arrivals and 28 departures until construction of Runway 4-Left/22-Right is complete. Daily construction will end on June 15, 2025, but will continue on Saturdays until the end of the year. 
• Outside of the construction period, 34 arrivals and departures until Oct. 25, 2025. 

“Our goal is to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public from excessive flight delays due to construction, staffing challenges, and recent equipment issues, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System,” said Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau.

The new limits take effect on May 20. The FAA discussed the plan with airlines during last week’s delay-reduction meeting.

The FAA may change the targeted limits if it determines capacity exists to accommodate more flights without a significant increase in delays, or that further flight reductions are necessary.

How the FAA is Taking Action: 

• Adding three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based STARS and the Philadelphia TRACON. This will provide more speed, reliability and redundancy.  
• Replacing copper telecommunications connections with updated fiberoptic technology that also have greater bandwidth and speed.  
• Deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia TRACON that will provide redundancy during the switch to a more reliable fiberoptic network.  
• Establishing a STARS hub at the Philadelphia TRACON so that the facility does not depend on a telecommunications feed from the New York STARS hub.  
• Increasing controller staffing. Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which directs aircraft in and out of Newark, has 22 fully certified controllers, 5 fully certified supervisors, and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position in Area C and three are certified on multiple positions. This means they can work those positions without supervision from an instructor. We have a healthy pipeline of controllers, with training classes filled through July 2026.

Monday, May 19, 2025

Statement
Operations are normal after Philadelphia TRACON Area C lost radio frequencies for approximately two seconds around 11:35 a.m. local time on Monday, May 19. All aircraft remained safely separated. The FAA is investigating.

Friday, May 16, 2025

Readout on Newark Delay-Reduction Meeting

The FAA held productive talks with airline representatives from May 14 –16 to address flight delays and congestion at Newark Liberty International Airport.  
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau addressed the group, explaining that aging equipment, staffing shortages, ongoing runway construction and severe congestion at the airport necessitate schedule modifications. 

He pointed to the immediate action the FAA is taking to accelerate air traffic control staffing and new technology at Philadelphia TRACON, which handles the airspace around Newark. 

Air carriers included United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air. Their representatives worked in one-on-one meetings with the FAA to find a balance between reducing their operations at the airport and meeting the needs of each individual airline. 

A final determination on arrival rates at Newark will come on or after May 28.  

Proposed Arrival Rate  

• The FAA is proposing a maximum arrival and departure rate at Newark of 28 aircraft an hour until the runway construction of Runway 4-Left/22-Right is complete. That daily construction will end on June 15, 2025, and continue on Saturdays until the end of the year. 
• Outside of that construction period, the maximum arrival rate would be 34 aircraft an hour until October 25, 2025.  

How the FAA is taking action: 

• Adding three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based STARS and the Philadelphia TRACON. This will provide more speed, reliability and redundancy.  
• Replacing copper telecommunications connections with updated fiberoptic technology that also have greater bandwidth and speed.  
• Deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia TRACON that will provide redundancy during the switch to a more reliable fiberoptic network.  
• Establishing a STARS hub at the Philadelphia TRACON so that the facility does not depend on a telecommunications feed from the New York STARS hub.  
• Increasing controller staffing. Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which directs aircraft in and out of Newark, has 22 fully certified controllers, 5 fully certified supervisors, and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position in Area C and three are certified on multiple positions. This means they can work those positions without supervision from an instructor. We have a healthy pipeline of controllers, with training classes filled through July 2026. 

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Statement
The FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) collaborate to establish staffing goals for every facility, for every area in the facility, and for each shift. They update the goals yearly and the goals are based on full staffing in the facility or area. There is a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers, and the FAA for years has not met the staffing goal for the area that works Newark airspace. The persistent low staffing levels and low training success rate at New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), or N90, were contributing factors to moving control of the Newark airspace to the Philadelphia TRACON in 2024.

Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which directs aircraft in and out of Newark, has 22 fully certified controllers, 5 fully certified supervisors, and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position in Area C and three are certified on multiple positions. This means they can work those positions without supervision from an instructor. We have a healthy pipeline of controllers, with training classes filled through July 2026.

If daily or per-shift staffing levels are low, the FAA ensures safety by implementing traffic management initiatives, such as slowing the flow of aircraft into an airport. You can find additional information in the statements we have issued on Newark. The public can get the latest information on staffing and operations in general at all airports at www.fly.faa.gov.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has made air traffic controller hiring a top priority. Learn more about the FAA's effort to boost air traffic controller workforce.

Monday, May 12, 2025

Statement
The FAA has been slowing arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport due to runway construction at Newark and staffing and technology issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport. You can find real-time flight delay information at fly.faa.gov.

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Statement
There was a telecommunications issue at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace. The FAA briefly slowed aircraft in and out of the airport while we ensured redundancies were working as designed. Operations have returned to normal, get real-time updates at fly.faa.gov.

Friday, May 9, 2025

Statement
Transportation Secretary Duffy and acting FAA Administrator Rocheleau directed the FAA to submit notice to the Federal Register announcing a delay reduction meeting for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The meeting will take place Wednesday, May 14, at 9 a.m. at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Statement
There was a telecommunications outage that impacted communications and radar display at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace.  The outage occurred around 3:55 a.m. on Friday, May 9, and lasted approximately 90 seconds.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Statement
The FAA has been slowing arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport due to runway construction at Newark and staffing and technology issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport.  
 
What we’re doing: The FAA is taking immediate steps to improve the reliability of operations at Newark Liberty International Airport. This includes accelerating technological and logistical improvements and increasing air traffic controller staffing. 
 
Background: The FAA system – called STARS - that processes radar data for Newark is based in New York. Telecommunications lines feed this data from New York to the Philadelphia TRACON, where controllers handle Newark arrivals and departures. 
 
Secretary Duffy and Acting Administrator Rocheleau are taking the following actions:

• Adding three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based STARS and the Philadelphia TRACON. This will provide more speed, reliability and redundancy. 
• Replacing copper telecommunications connections with updated fiberoptic technology that also have greater bandwidth and speed. 
• Deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia TRACON that will provide redundancy during the switch to a more reliable fiberoptic network. 
• Establishing a STARS hub at the Philadelphia TRACON so that the facility does not depend on a telecommunications feed from the New York STARS hub. 
• Increasing controller staffing. The area in the Philadelphia TRACON that handles Newark traffic has 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position and two are certified on multiple positions. We have a healthy pipeline with training classes filled through July 2026.  

When staffing or equipment issues occur, the FAA will ensure safety by slowing the rate of arrivals into the airport. We will continue to provide updates to the public as we work through these issues. The public can access real time information about the status of Newark and every airport at fly.faa.gov. 

Monday, May 5, 2025

Statement
Our antiquated air traffic control system is affecting our workforce. As Secretary Duffy has said, we must get the best safety technology in the hands of controllers as soon as possible. We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency.

Frequent equipment and telecommunications outages can be stressful for controllers. Some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages. While we cannot quickly replace them due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace. 
When staffing or equipment issues occur, the FAA will ensure safety by slowing the rate of arrivals into the airport. We will keep the public updated as we work through these issues. The FAA will continue to be transparent with the public about the status of Newark and every airport at fly.faa.gov.

Monday, April 28, 2025

Statement
The FAA is slowing arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) after telecommunications and equipment issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of EWR.  Both have been resolved but now there are staffing issues at Philadelphia TRACON. For the latest airport updates, visit our National Airspace System Status website.