FAA Halts Newark Flights Amid Telecom Glitch, Urgent Upgrades Planned

Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were briefly halted on Sunday due to a new telecommunications issue at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), the FAA confirmed. The incident led to a short ground stop to verify backup systems were functioning properly, temporarily slowing arrivals and departures. Operations resumed soon after.

This marks the third outage in recent weeks, following a radar and telecom blackout on Friday and a major disruption on April 28. The recurring failures are drawing attention to the aging infrastructure of the U.S. air traffic control system.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has proposed a multibillion-dollar modernization plan over the next 3–4 years. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, he emphasized safety, stating, “We slow it down to keep people safe,” and promised rapid upgrades to enhance Newark’s system resilience.

Newark Liberty, located just miles from New York City, has also been grappling with runway construction, equipment failures, and a shortage of air traffic controllers. The FAA relocated Newark’s airspace oversight to Philadelphia last year to address congestion and staffing challenges.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for immediate action, urging the FAA to bypass bureaucratic delays and prioritize Newark. Some air traffic controllers reportedly took stress leave after the April 28 disruption.

In response, the FAA is increasing staffing, adding three high-bandwidth telecom links, and installing a temporary backup system while transitioning to a fiber-optic network. The agency also plans to meet with major airlines to discuss potential temporary flight reductions, as United Airlines—the airport’s largest carrier—pushes for tighter flight limits due to ongoing delays.

Currently, the FAA is operating with 3,500 fewer controllers than needed, prompting calls for urgent funding and reform.