Newark Airport Faces Flight Chaos Amid Tech Failures

NEWARK, New Jersey — Newark Liberty International Airport is grappling with significant flight delays and cancellations, enduring chaos for the past two weeks due to multiple technical failures and a runway closure. The airport, one of the busiest in the United States, has seen air traffic controllers struggle amid warnings about the outdated technology they rely on.

The situation has been described as a “perfect storm” by officials, with one air traffic controller calling the recent communication breakdowns “the most dangerous situation you could have.” Such failures have driven some controllers to take trauma leave, as they cope with the stress of losing contact with planes.

Over the span of two weeks, travelers have faced an increasing number of disrupted flights at Newark. With summer travel season fast approaching, analysts warn that the upcoming holidays, including the Fourth of July and Labor Day, could turn into a nightmare for passengers.

“It will be a dreadful summer,” Peter Goelz, a CNN aviation analyst and former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, stated. Although there are hopes that some controllers might return next month, the underlying technology issues are not expected to be resolved quickly.

The Federal Aviation Administration has acknowledged that radar failures led to air traffic controllers losing contact with flights for around 90 seconds during peak hours. Experts like Colin Scoggins, a retired air traffic controller and former FAA military specialist, suggest that upgrading air traffic systems and hiring new controllers will take a considerable amount of time.

Given these challenges, it appears that Newark Airport may continue to experience disruptions for the foreseeable future as experts indicate a return to normal operations is not on the horizon.