Newark Liberty International Airport in the US has been asked to reduce its flight operations to 56 departures and arrivals per hour by the Department of Transportation. The FAA has limited hourly operations to alleviate congestion, which has led to a wave of cancellations and delays at the airport.
The decision comes after several incidents involving air traffic controllers losing contact with planes for extended periods, including a recent incident where controllers lost contact with planes for 90 seconds on May 9. The FAA said daily construction will end on June 15, and operations will increase to 68 arrivals and departures per hour during non-construction periods.
Newark has faced numerous challenges, including a shortage of air traffic controllers, glitches in radio and radar systems, and ongoing runway construction. The FAA is ramping up staffing efforts to address the issue.
United Airlines, which serves Newark as its major hub, announced it will cancel 35 roundtrip flights per day due to the reduced capacity. However, customers can be easily re-accommodated on other flights, and those traveling to or from New York have alternatives, including LaGuardia airport and John F Kennedy international airport.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/5/22/why-are-the-number-of-flights-reduced-at-newark-airport-in-the-us