A veteran air traffic controller at Philadelphia’s TRACON facility is speaking out about the intense pressures workers face amid a staffing shortage and tech outages at Newark Liberty International Airport. Jonathan Stewart, who supervises flights to and from the busy airport, described working multiple positions per shift to give other controllers breaks and writing callsigns in a notebook due to fear of losing radar and radios.
Stewart’s testimony is one of the first public narratives of overworked and understaffed US controllers combatting declining working conditions, aging infrastructure, and outdated technology. The problems at control towers and facilities overlay ongoing stress passengers feel from technology outages, close calls, and fatal accidents.
The TRACON facility experienced blackouts on April 28 and May 9, resulting in lost radar and screens going blank. Stewart said he averted a potential mid-air collision between two aircraft flying nose-to-nose at the same altitude on May 4. He also described feeling shaken after the close call and sending an email to FAA managers criticizing their leadership.
Stewart stated that controllers need more resources to do their jobs, citing a shortage of 38 certified professionals needed for the facility but only 24 positions currently filled. The FAA has acknowledged the staffing shortage and initiated an “emergency task force” to ensure safe airport operations. However, hiring and retaining controllers remains tough, with the current shortage near a 30-year low.
The controller’s concerns come as airlines and the FAA discuss reducing flights at Newark ahead of the busy summer season to minimize cancellations and delays. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby stated that the facility has been “chronically understaffed for years,” while Stewart emphasized that safety events may not be stressful initially but can have a cumulative effect.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/16/us/newark-airport-air-traffic-controller-comments