Newark Air Traffic Crisis Worsens With Single Controller Handling Up To 180 Flights
Newark Liberty International Airport faced a potentially dangerous “doomsday scenario” on Monday evening as staffing shortages reached critical levels, with just one certified air traffic controller scheduled to oversee up to 180 takeoffs and landings during a three-hour period. The unprecedented situation marks a dramatic escalation of the ongoing crisis that has plagued one of America’s busiest airports for nearly two weeks.
This latest development comes after the airport suffered a third system outage on Sunday morning, triggering yet another ground stop and hundreds of additional flight delays. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Monday that the administration is forming an “emergency task force” to address the situation, according to CNN.

Controller Shortage Reaches Critical Levels
The airport was reportedly facing a “zero ATC event” Monday evening until one certified controller canceled his day off to work a shift between 6:30 PM and 9:30 PM. According to One Mile at a Time, this controller, assisted by trainees, was responsible for handling anywhere from 168 to 180 takeoffs and landings — a scenario the controller described as “pure insanity.” Normal operations would typically require 15 staffers per shift, as they oversee five radarscopes with different sectors.
The FAA disputed the severity of the situation, with a spokesperson claiming there would be “at least three controllers scheduled for each hour,” though the agency did not specify how many would be fully certified versus trainees. The staffing crisis has been exacerbated by the fact that five FAA employees — a supervisor, three controllers, and one trainee — took 45-day trauma leave following a serious communications outage on April 28.
System Failures Creating Dangerous Conditions
The current staffing shortage stems from a series of alarming equipment failures that began with a major outage on April 28 when controllers at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control facility, which guides aircraft to and from Newark, lost both radar and radio contact with pilots for up to 90 seconds. This left approximately 15 to 20 flights essentially “flying blind” with no ground communication.
“This was the most dangerous situation you could have,” said an air traffic controller who was on duty during the incident in comments to CNN. The trauma from this event prompted several controllers to take extended leave, which further strained an already understaffed facility.
Since then, Newark has experienced multiple additional system outages, including a 90-second communications failure on Friday, May 9, and another backup system failure on Sunday, May 12, which prompted a 45-minute ground stop. The recurring nature of these failures has intensified concerns about the airport’s aging infrastructure.
Aging Infrastructure and Technological Shortcomings
Transportation Secretary Duffy has acknowledged the severity of the technological problems, noting in a recent interview that Newark’s air traffic control systems are “incredibly old.” The outdated infrastructure includes floppy disks, copper wires instead of fiber optics, and what has been described by one controller as “a long extension cord” connecting critical systems.
Duffy announced plans on Thursday to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system, which will include replacing copper telecommunications connections with updated fiber-optic technology. “What we’re seeing through the system is hundreds of times a week, blips in connectivity, which is a sign that you’re seeing issues with your telecom,” Duffy told CNN after making the announcement.
The FAA has committed to adding “three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections” between New York and Philadelphia and deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia TRACON during the transition to a more reliable fiber-optic network.
Impact on Travelers and Airlines
The ongoing crisis has resulted in thousands of flight delays and cancellations over the past two weeks. Between April 24 and May 7, nearly half of the more than 13,000 flights in and out of Newark were delayed or canceled — a rate more than double that of other major airports in the vicinity, such as LaGuardia and JFK, according to flight tracking company FlightAware.
United Airlines, which uses Newark as a major hub, has been particularly affected. CEO Scott Kirby has been vocal about the situation, noting in a statement that the Philadelphia TRACON “has been chronically understaffed for years.” The airline has cut 35 flights per day from its Newark schedule starting the first weekend of May in response to the crisis.
Duffy has indicated that the airport will continue to operate with reduced capacity in the coming weeks. “We’re going to have this reduced capacity at Newark. I’m convening a meeting of all the airlines that serve Newark, get them to agree on how they’re gonna reduce the capacity,” he said in a statement reported by CBS News.

Looking Ahead to a Challenging Summer
Aviation experts warn that travelers should prepare for continued disruptions. “It will be a dreadful summer, particularly around the high-volume holidays of the Fourth of July and Labor Day,” said Peter Goelz, a CNN aviation analyst and former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, speaking to CNN.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for an urgent response, saying “The FAA must put Newark first and must put everything they’ve got into fixing Newark ASAP.” He warned that what happened in Newark “can happen all across the country” if not properly addressed.
While the Biden administration has pledged immediate action to address the crisis, a comprehensive fix to the aging infrastructure and staffing shortages is expected to take months, if not longer. In the meantime, passengers traveling through Newark are advised to check flight status regularly and prepare for potential disruptions.